Browse Entries: N

there are 239 entries under the letter N

N.F.

the province of Newfoundland.

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N.P.

the policy of the Conservative party under Sir John A. Macdonald, which stressed protective tariffs and was the basis of a successful appeal to the electorate in 1878.

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N.S.O.

a federal government officer in charge of a district in the Far North.

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N.W. canoe

a birchbark canoe 25 to 35 feet long, 5 to 6 feet wide, and 2 to 21 feet deep, capable of carrying some 11 to 2 tons of goods, a crew of 8 or 9, and 2 or 3 passengers, used primarily on the waterways north and west of Lake Superior.

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N.W. Company

a fur-trading syndicate with its headquarters at Montreal, organized between 1775 and 1783 and absorbed by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1821.

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N.W. gun

a light musket carried as trading goods by the North West Company.

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N.W. Mounted Police

a federal police force organized in 1873 to bring law and order to the Northwest, the name after 1904 being the Royal North West Mounted Police and after 1920 the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

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N.W.M.P.

a federal police force organized in 1873 to bring law and order to the Northwest, the name after 1904 being the Royal North West Mounted Police and after 1920 the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

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N.W.T.

1 the early administrative districts which later became Saskatchewan and Alberta.

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N.Y.C.

New York Currency.

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nacaishe

n. a small edible fish, Hiodon alosoides, native to the Lake Winnipeg region, but now found over a wider range in the Northwest. Also spelled mac(c)aysh.

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namapeth

n. the white sucker, Catostomus commersonii.

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namaycush

n. a North American char, Cristivomer namaycush, having important commercial value. Also spelled namacush.

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name-mask

n. among certain Indians of the B.C. coast, a carved wooden mask worn during the name-giving ceremony.

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Nanabozho

n. a supernatural giant, creator-magician and tribal hero of the Ojibwas.

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Nanook

n. the polar bear. Also spelled Nannook, nanook, nanuk.

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nap(h)tha launch

a motor launch using naphtha as fuel.

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Naskapi sled

a type of sled associated with the Naskapi Indians.

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national park 

a tract of land held and maintained by the federal government so that people may enjoy its scenic and other attractions.

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National Policy

the policy of the Conservative party under Sir John A. Macdonald, which stressed protective tariffs and was the basis of a successful appeal to the electorate in 1878.

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National Progressive Party

a political party having substantial support among liberals and farmers in the 1920's.

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National Reconstruction Party

a reformist political party orgazed by the Hon. H. H. Stevens, a disaffected Conservative, in 1935.

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national reserve

a tract of land held and maintained by the federal government so that people may enjoy its scenic and other attractions.

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National Union (Party)

in Quebec, a provincial political party, long under the leadership of Maurice Duplessis, 1890-1959, and identified with conservative French-Canadian nationalism.

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native ((adv.))

in the manner of an Indian or Eskimo.

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native ((n.))

1 n. an Indian or Eskimo.

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native (Canadian) Indian

a Canadian Indian, as opposed to an East Indian or a person from India.

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natural gas

any combustible gaseous mixture formed in the earth's crust and obtained from natural fissures or bored wells.

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naygog

n. See 1849 quote.

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NDP

the New Democratic Party.

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NDPer

n. a member or supporter of the NDP.

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neaps

n. pl. pieces of duffle, animal fur, etc. put round the feet as protection against the cold. Also nippes.

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Near North

See quotes.

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neck

1 v. pull a sled with the traces passing over the shoulder near the neck.

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neck log

in a type of deadfall (def. 1), the log that falls on an animal's neck and kills it.

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necktie social

a party where each partner for the evening wore matching ties.

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needle bar

a kind of long ice-pick for cutting water holes in ice.

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needle ice

needle-like formations of ice crystals. See quotes.

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negrohead tobacco 

a slender, twisted plug of tobacco once common in the old Northwest.

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nekik

n. the otter.

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Neocaledonian

adj. Nova Scotian.

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neshtow

n. See quotes. Also neestau, neestow, nistow.

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net-hole

n. a hole through which fish are netted in ice fishing.

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netchek

n. a small seal, as the ring seal or the harbor seal. Also spelled netsek, netserk, netsik, nutchook, etc.

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netminder

n. in hockey and lacrosse, a goalkeeper.

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netschewuk

n. a large seal of the North Atlantic, Cystophora cristata.

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Neutral

n. a French-speaking settler of eighteenth-century Acadia, so-called because of his disinterest in the wars between the English and French.

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neutral school

a non-sectarian school not offering religious instruction as part of its regular curriculum but permitting such instruction by a special teacher or clergyman on an extra-curricular basis for parents who desire it.

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New Britain

the Ungava peninsula, especially the Labrador coast.

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New Brunswick pound

a monetary unit established in New Brunswick in pre-Confederation times.

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New Caledonia

1 Nova Scotia.

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New Canadian

an immigrant settled in Canada who has become or intends to become a Canadian citizen.

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New Canuck

n. a French-Canadian.

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New Company

a Montreal-based fur company formed in 1798 by disaffected Northwesters and absorbed by the North West Company in 1804, so called because its packs were labelled XY to keep them distinct from those of its competitor, which were marked N.W.

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new cut

a strip cut through the forest, the felled trees being placed at the roadside to leave a primitive road about 30 feet wide.

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New Dem

a member or supporter of the New Democratic Party.

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New Democrat

a member or supporter of the New Democratic Party.

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New Democratic Party

a political party formed in 1961 in place of the Co-operative Common-wealth Federation and with the support of a considerable portion of organized labor.

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New Denmark

a name given to the west shore of Hudson's Bay.

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New England of Canada

the Eastern Townships of Quebec, first settled by New England immigrants.

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New England Planter

a pre-Loyalist immigrant to Nova Scotia from the New England colonies.

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New France

the former French possessions in North America.

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New Ireland

See 1907 quote.

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New Lights 

1 Hist. a fundamentalist evangelical sect first established in Cornwallis, N.S., during the 1780's by Henry Alline.

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New Manitoba

that part of the old Keewatin district added to the province of Manitoba in 1912.

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new milk

in Indian parlance, rum.

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New N.W. Company

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New Nation

the Métis of the Red River Settlement (a name they themselves adopted).

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New North West Company

a Montreal-based fur company formed in 1798 by disaffected Northwesters and absorbed by the North West Company in 1804, so called because its packs were labelled XY to keep them distinct from those of its competitor, which were marked N.W.

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New Ontario

that part of the present province of Ontario formally added in 1912; Northern Ontario.

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New Party

1 a Canadian political party of the early 1890's.

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New Quebec

Northern Quebec, specifically that part of the Ungava peninsula that became part of the province in 1912.

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New Scotland

an early name for Nova Scotia.

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New Wales

an early name for the western shore of Hudson's Bay, in the vicinity of Forts York and Churchill.

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New West

the Northwest Territories (def. 1b), especially the Prairie Provinces, opened up for settlement in the late 19th century.

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New Year's (Day) levee

n. in Canada, a formal reception, usually for men only, held New Year's morning by the Governor General, lieutenant-governors, and, sometimes, mayors.

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New Year's Address

a greeting, usually in rhyme, issued by newspaper carrier-boys to their patrons on the first day of each year, at which time they expected a Christmas box.

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New York currency 

the standard of currency established at New York, where the dollar was set as equivalent to eight shillings, a unit of account used during much of the colonial period in Montreal, Quebec City, and Upper Canada. Abbrev. N. Y. C.

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New-Year Verses

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Newf

n. a native or resident of Newfoundland.

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Newfie

1 n. Newfoundland.

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Newfie Bullet

an ironic name for the train running through the interior of Newfoundland.

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Newfiejohn

n. St. John' s, Newfoundland.

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Newfound Island

an early name for Newfoundland.

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Newfoundland

n. one of a breed of dog probably developed from crossing dogs from Europe with the Newfoundland dog (def. 1).

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Newfoundland dog

1 one of a breed of dog, the probable ancestor of the modern Newfoundland.

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Newfoundland grape

the blueberry.

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Newfoundland Ranger Force

a police force patterned on the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, formed in 1935 and absorbed by the R.C.M.P. in 1954.

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Newfoundlander

n. one of a breed of dog, the probable ancestor of the modern Newfoundland.

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News Boy's Address

a greeting, usually in rhyme, issued by newspaper carrier-boys to their patrons on the first day of each year, at which time they expected a Christmas box.

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newsagent

n. the person on a railway train who sells papers, magazines, refreshments, etc.

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nickel 

n. the Canadian five-cent piece.

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nickel belt

the Sudbury Basin in Northern Ontario, site of the world's most productive nickel mines.

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nigger ((n.))

n. See 1963 quote.

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nigger ((v.)) 

v. burn through the trunk of a tree by using a nigger.

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nigger wool

n. a coarse grass or sedge, Carex filifolia, of the prairies, used widely in mulching to combat soil erosion.

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niggered

adj. of trees, burned with a nigger.

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niggerhead

1 n. a slender, twisted plug of tobacco once common in the old Northwest.

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niggerhead tobacco

a slender, twisted plug of tobacco once common in the old Northwest.

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niggering

n. the practice or process of using niggers to burn through the trunk of a tree.

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night-herd ((n.)) 

n. the job of preventing cattle from straying from the herd at night.

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night-herd ((v.)) 

v. prevent cattle from straying from the herd at night.

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night-herder 

n. one who night-herds.

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nightfishing

n. the practice of fishing at night with the aid of a jacklight (def. 1) or other source of light to attract the fish.

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Ninety-eighter

n. a person who took part in the Klondike goldrush of 1898.

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Ninety-two Resolutions

See 1963 quote.

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Ninna-bo-jou

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nip

n. See 1850 cite.

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nipko(o)

n. See 1955 quote.

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nipped (in)

adj. of ships, caught and held, and sometimes, especially with older wooden vessels, utterly crushed, by the coming together of two ice-floes.

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nipper ((1)) 

n. a thick woollen mitten or wrap-around, used by fishermen to protect hands and wrists from the friction of the running lines.

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nipper ((2))

n. the person responsible for getting equipment and material from the station to the work-place, that is, the spot where the mining operation is being carried out.

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nipping-machine

n. See quote.

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nitchie

1 n. in Indian parlance, especially of another Indian, a friend.

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no-see-em (fly)

n. a tiny winged insect, Culicoides sp., that has a nasty bite; also, sometimes a sandfly.

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no-see-um (fly) 

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No. 1 hard Manitoba (wheat)

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nob stick

(originally associated with the northern Indians) a tall, conspicuous spruce or pine denuded of all but its topmost branches to serve as a mark of honor for a friend, as a monument, or often as a living talisman of the man for whom it was made.

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Nodwell

n. a wide-tracked vehicle for use in rough roadless areas, manufactured by the Robin-Nodwell Manufacturing Co. in Calgary, Alberta.

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Nome hitch

See 1941 quote. [See picture at Nome hitch.]

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nomination day

a day fixed by law for the filing of nominations for elective offices.

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non-capital murder

murder for which the maximum punishment is life imprisonment.

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non-commissioned officer

the white-throated sparrow.

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non-import

n. an American player who, by virtue of having played in the Canadian league for four years, is no longer to be counted as one of the limited number of imported players allowed each team.

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non-potlatcher

n. an Indian opposed to the potlatch system.

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non-separatist

n. with reference to French Canada, an opponent of the withdrawal of Quebec from Confederation.

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non-treaty ((adj.))

adj. of Indians, not living under the terms of a treaty (def. 1 a).

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non-treaty ((n.))

n. an Indian who is not living under the terms of a treaty (def. 1a).

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non-treaty Indian

n. an Indian who is not living under the terms of a treaty (def. 1a).

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nonny-bag

n. a kind of haversack, often made of sealskin.

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Nootka cypress

a species of evergreen, Chamaecyparis nootkatensis, of the Pacific Coast.

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Nor'West gun

n. a light musket carried as trading goods by the North West Company.

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Nor'West trader

a wintering partner (def. 1) or employee of the North West Company.

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Nor'Wester

1a n. a man experienced in the fur country.

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Nor'Western

adj. of or pertaining to the Northwest Territories (def. 2).

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Nor'Westers

n. pl. the North West Company collectively.

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Norseman

n. a light airplane formerly much used in bush-flying throughout the North.

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North

n. the extensive, largely inhospitable regions of northern Canada, especially the Far North.

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North American Chinaman

n. among goldseekers in the Cariboo, a person from the Canadas; a Canadian.

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North American Chinese

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North canoe

a birchbark canoe 25 to 35 feet long, 5 to 6 feet wide, and 2 to 2 1/2 feet deep, capable of carrying some 1 1/2 to 2 tons of goods, a crew of 8 or 9, and 2 or 3 passengers, used primarily on the waterways north and west of Lake Superior.

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North Country

the extensive, largely inhospitable regions of northern Canada, especially the Far North.

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North Shore

1 the eastern part of New Brunswick, fronting on the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Northumberland Strait.

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North West Company

a fur-trading syndicate with its headquarters at Montreal, organized between 1775 and 1783 and absorbed by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1821.

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North West Currency

a scale of currency reckoned in French livres and used by the North West Company in their inland fur trade up to 1820, originally used by the French-Canadian traders.

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North West Field Force

See quote.

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North West Fur Company

a fur-trading syndicate with its headquarters at Montreal, organized between 1775 and 1783 and absorbed by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1821.

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North West livre

a unit of Grand Portage Currency.

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North West Mounted Police

a federal police force organized in 1873 to bring law and order to the Northwest, the name after 1904 being the Royal North West Mounted Police and after 1920 the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

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North West Mounted Policeman

a member of the North West Mounted Police.

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North West Mountie

a member of the North West Mounted Police.

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North West turkey

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North West twist

tobacco prepared in twisted ropes, prominent among the trade goods of the fur companies.

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North woods

the vast forests in the north of Canada; the Canadian taiga.

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North-West Angle

the farthest northwesterly point of the Lake of the Woods, established as part of the Canada-U.S. border by the Treaty of Paris in 1783.

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North-West Council

an appointive council responsible for the affairs of the Northwest (def. la).

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Northeast(ern) Territory

prior to 1912, a name given to the entire Labrador peninsula. See 1892 quote.

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Northern

n. a large species of pike, Esox lucius, found in northern waters.

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Northern Allowance

a bonus paid to persons employed in the Far North as compensation for the high cost of living.

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northern canoe

a birchbark canoe 25 to 35 feet long, 5 to 6 feet wide, and 2 to 2 1/2 feet deep, capable of carrying some 1 1/2 to 2 tons of goods, a crew of 8 or 9, and 2 or 3 passengers, used primarily on the waterways north and west of Lake Superior.

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Northern Department

the largest of the administrative divisions of the Hudson's Bay Company. See 1956 quote.

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northern hare

a species of hare, Lepus americanus, especially common in the North, so called because its fur is brown in summer and white in winter.

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Northern Indian

1a a Chipewyan, so named in the Churchill region of Hudson Bay by the English traders to distinguish them from the Crees further south.

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Northern Messenger

See 1959 quote.

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Northern Nation

the Northern Indians

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Northern People

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northern pike 

a large species of pike, Esox lucius, found in northern waters.

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northern service officer

a federal government officer in charge of a district in the Far North.

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Northerner

1 n. a resident or native of the North, especially the Far North.

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Northland

n. the extensive, largely inhospitable regions of northern Canada, especially the Far North.

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Northland string

strips of leather, or thongs, made from the hide of a moose, caribou, etc. used for laces, threads, netting, etc.

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Northlander

1 n. a native or resident of the North Country.

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Northlands

n. pl. the extensive, largely inhospitable regions of northern Canada, especially the Far North.

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Northman

1 n. a seasoned fur trader or voyageur who spent his winters in the fur country.

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Northward Indian

a Chipewyan, so named in the Churchill region of Hudson Bay by the English traders to distinguish them from the Crees further south.

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Northwest

1a n. the vast region north and west of Lake Superior, as known by the fur traders and explorers.

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Northwest canoe

a birchbark canoe 25 to 35 feet long, 5 to 6 feet wide, and 2 to 2 1/2 feet deep, capable of carrying some 1 1/2 to 2 tons of goods, a crew of 8 or 9, and 2 or 3 passengers, used primarily on the waterways north and west of Lake Superior.

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Northwest cart

a sturdy two-wheeled cart constructed entirely of wood, the parts being fixed by wooden pins and lashed with shaganappi (def. 1); the wheels were some five feet in diameter and about three inches broad at the rim; the axle carried a simple box equipped with a railing for carrying the load, about 1,000 pounds. As a rule, the carts travelled in trains or brigades and the ungreased wheels gave forth ear-piercing shrieks and squeals which could be heard for miles across the prairie.

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Northwest gun

n. a light musket carried as trading goods by the North West Company.

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Northwest iron

a thong of rawhide.

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Northwest passage 

1 the long-sought route through or round North America to the Orient; a navigable passage connecting the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans.

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Northwest pedlar

a wintering partner (def. 1) or employee of the North West Company.

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Northwest Police

a federal police force organized in 1873 to bring law and order to the Northwest, the name after 1904 being the Royal North West Mounted Police and after 1920 the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

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Northwest Rebellion

1 an uprising of Métis, and some early white settlers in the Red River area in 1870, led by Louis Riel and caused by encroachment on prairie lands by the Canadian government.

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Northwest Staging Route

a series of airports established between Edmonton and Whitehorse during World War II.

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Northwest Territories

1a the vast region north and west of Lake Superior, as known by the fur traders and explorers.

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Northwest territories

the vast region north and west of Lake Superior, as known by the fur traders and explorers.

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Northwest Territories Council

a body responsible for the government of the Northwest Territories (def. 2b), now consisting of twelve members, of whom seven are elected and five appointed.

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Northwest territory

the vast region north and west of Lake Superior, as known by the fur traders and explorers.

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Northwester

1a n. a wintering partner (def. 1) or employee of the North West Company.

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Northwestern

adj. of or pertaining to the Northwest Territories (def. 2).

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Northwestern iron

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Northwestern Territory

the vast region north and west of Lake Superior, as known by the fur traders and explorers.

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Northwesterner

n. a native or resident of the Northwest Territories (def. 1b).

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Northwesters

n. pl. the North West Company collectively.

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Norway pine

a tree, Pinus resinosa, of eastern and central Canada

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Norwegian snowshoe

a ski.

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Nose

n. a Conservative (def. 2).

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nose-hangar

n. a structure used in winter to protect an airplane engine from extreme cold and bad weather.

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nose-hobbling

n. See quote.

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notary

n. See 1962 quote.

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notch 

n. a narrow pass between hills; defile; gap.

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nothing game

a league game the outcome of which has no bearing on the final standings in the league.

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Nova Scotia Knight

a hereditary title conferred by James I on 150 persons granted extensive land holdings in what is now the Maritimes.

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Nova Scotia nightingale

the marsh or pickerel frog, Rana palustris.

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NSO

a federal government officer in charge of a district in the Far North.

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nuisance ground(s)

See 1958 quote.

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nunatak

n. an isolated mountain-peak or hill rising above glacial ice.

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nunny-bag

n. a kind of haversack, often made of sealskin.

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nursing station

a small emergency hospital in charge of a trained resident nurse and visited periodically by a doctor.

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