nievie-nievie-nick-nack

English

Etymology

Derived from the first line of a poem recited when playing the game.

Noun

nievie-nievie-nick-nack (uncountable)

1. (archaic) A game of Scottish origin in which one person would try to guess the hand in which another person was holding an object.
   • 2010, Neil Baker, G Day: Please God, Get Me Off the Hook, page 261:

     Do you think you could round up four others so we could have a numinous go at it, and nievie-nievie-nick-nack in one another's ear?

See also

• handy-dandy
• eeny, meeny, miny, moe