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| nip [ nip ] |
verb (past and past participle nipped, present participle nip·ping, 3rd person present singular nips) |
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| Definition: |
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1. transitive verb pinch something: to take hold of something and squeeze or compress it, often painfully, between two surfaces, e.g. to pinch skin between a forefinger and thumb
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2. transitive and intransitive verb take brief bite at something: to bite something briefly, often painfully, but without doing much damage
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3. transitive verb sever something: to remove something by pinching, biting, or clipping
  nipped off the dead flower heads
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4. transitive verb affect somebody with cold: to sting or chill a person or part of the body painfully with cold
frost nipping his fingers and toes
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5. transitive verb stop something from developing: to halt the growth or development of something
hoped to nip the conflict in the bud
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6. transitive verb make something narrower: to make something narrower or tighter
The dress is nipped in at the waist.
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7. transitive verb U.S. steal something: to steal or snatch something
(
informal
)
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8. intransitive verb U.K. go quickly: to go somewhere quickly or briefly
(
informal
)
She nipped down to the shop for bread.
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noun (plural nips) |
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| Definition: |
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1. sharp squeeze: a sharp or painful squeeze with the fingers or between two surfaces
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2. small brief bite: a small bite with the teeth that may be painful but does not do much damage
The dog tried to give my ankle a nip as I passed.
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3. small cut-out piece: a small piece cut from something
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4. chill: a chilly feeling caused by a marked drop in temperature
There's a nip in the air tonight.
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5. sharp flavor: a sharp or pungent flavor
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| [14th century. < Middle Low German nipen] |
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nip and tuck very closely and evenly contested so that the outcome remains in doubt (informal)
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