Meaning of nip in English

Table of contents
  1. Pronunciation
  2. Verb
    1. Etymology
    2. Definitions
  3. Noun
    1. Etymology
    2. Definitions

  1. Pronunciation

    /nɪp/

    US accent Play button

    UK accent Play button

  1. Verb

    nip

    Etymology

    late Middle English: probably of Low German or Dutch origin

    Definitions

    1. squeeze tightly between the fingers

    Examples

    • « He pinched her behind »
    • « She squeezed the bottle »

    Derived terms

  2. 2. give a small sharp bite to

    Examples

    • « The Queen's corgies always nip at her staff's ankles »

    Derived terms

  3. 3. sever or remove by pinching or snipping

    Examples

    • « nip off the flowers »

    Derived terms

  4. Noun

    nip

    Etymology

    late 18th century (originally denoting a half-pint of ale): probably an abbreviation of the rare term nipperkin ‘small measure’; compare with Low German and Dutch nippen‘to sip’

    Definitions

    1. a small drink of liquor

    Examples

    • « he poured a shot of whiskey »
  5. 2. a person of Japanese descent
  6. 3. a tart spiciness

    Derived terms

  7. 4. a small drink

    Derived terms

  8. 5. small sharp biting

    Derived terms

Famous quotes

  • « Poetry is the most subtle of the literary arts, and students grow more ingenious by the year at avoiding it. If they can nip around Milton, duck under Blake and collapse gratefully into the arms of Jane Austen, a lot of them will. »
    Terry Eagleton
  • « Nip the shoots of arbitrary power in the bud, is the only maxim which can ever preserve the liberties of any people. »
    John Quincy Adams

Browse dictionary