nick|el

nick|el «NIHK uhl», noun, verb, -eled, -el|ing or (especially British) -elled, -el|ling.

–n.

1. a metallic chemical element that looks like silver and is somewhat like iron. Nickel is hard and used as an alloy and in electroplating. It usually occurs in combination with arsenic or sulfur in igneous rocks, and is associated with cobalt. Nickel is malleable, ductile, and magnetic, but is not easily oxidized.

2. a coin, containing a mixture of nickel and copper, of the United States and Canada, worth five cents: »

Hot-dog sellers, sandwich men, and jugglers peddled their offerings for nickels and dimes (Newsweek).

3. U.S. Slang. five dollars' worth of a narcotic.

–v.t.

to cover or coat with nickel.

╂[< Swedish nickel < German Kupfernickel (literally) copper devil (the ore resembles copper but yields none)]