Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993.
nice (adj.)
has frequently been criticized as vague and overused in its sense of “approved, mildly pleasing, pretty good,” as in We had a nice time or She was nice to the children, but although it may be neither powerful nor fresh, it is a useful Standard word. When moderate enthusiasm is exactly what you wish to express, nice expresses it. Although this “pleasing, agreeable” sense is the most frequently encountered, nice also has other very important senses, among them: “coy, shy,” as in She’s too nice to object; “finicky,” as in They’re too nice to get their hands dirty; “exacting or punctilious,” as in a nice distinction and a nice knowledge of horses; “well-bred, respectable,” as in He’s a very nice little boy; and the sarcastic “bad, inappropriate,” as in A nice mess you’ve made of it.
