Jane's words: nice

I remember at school my English teacher telling the whole class that the word ‘nice’ was over-used and that we must find other words to describe whatever it was we were trying to describe – pleasant, enjoyable, charming, personable, gracious, sympathetic, agreeable, polite, likeable… and on and on.

But what did it mean in Jane Austen’s day?

Well, here’s an interesting exchange from Northanger Abbey in Chapter 14 between Catherine Morland and Henry Tilney.

‘ “…do you not think Udolpho the nicest book in the world?”

“The nicest – by which I suppose you mean the neatest. That must depend upon the binding.”’

The meaning of the word ‘nice’ was in flux in Jane Austen’s day though some people, Henry and probably Jane Austen too, were still using it for its original meaning which was ‘refined’, ‘fastidious’ or ‘neat’ which is how Henry feels it should be used.

‘… “I am sure” cried Catherine, “I did not mean to say anything wrong; but it is a nice book, and why should I not call it so?”

“Very true,”…