nip1 /nip/ transitive verb (nippˈing; nipped /nipt/)- To pinch
- To press between two surfaces
- To remove or sever by pinching or biting (often with off)
- (eg of the cold or frost) to halt the growth or vigour of (eg vegetation)
- (esp of cold weather) to give a smarting or tingling feeling to
- To concern closely and painfully (obsolete)
- To reprehend sharply (obsolete)
- To snatch (esp US)
- To steal (informal)
- To arrest (slang)
intransitive verb- To pinch
- To smart
- To go nimbly or quickly (informal)
noun- An act or experience of nipping
- The pinch of cold
- A halt to the growth of vegetation caused eg by the cold or frost
- A nipping quality
- Pungency or bite (Scot)
- A sharp reprehension (obsolete)
- A more or less gradual thinning out of a stratum (mineralogy)
- A simple fastening of a rope by twisting it round the object
- A part of a rope fastened in this way (nautical)
- A small piece, such as might be nipped off
- A cutpurse (old slang)
ORIGIN: Prob related to Du nijpen to pinch nippˈer noun - A person who or thing which nips
- A chela or great claw, eg of a crab
- A horse's incisor, esp of the middle four
- A pickpocket or cutpurse (slang)
- A boy assistant to a costermonger, carter, etc
- A little boy or (sometimes) girl (informal)
- (in pl) small pincers
- (in pl) any of various pincer-like tools
- (in pl) handcuffs (informal)
transitive verb To seize (two ropes) together nippˈily adverb nippˈiness noun nippˈingly adverb nippˈy adjective - Pungent, biting
- Nimble, quick (informal)
- Niggardly
- (esp of weather) very cold, frosty
noun (with cap; old)A waitress, esp one in a Lyons teashop (also Nippˈie) nipˈcheese noun - A stingy person (slang)
- A purser (obsolete nautical)
nip and tuck - Cosmetic surgery (informal)
- (US) at full speed
- Neck and neck
nip in To cut in nip in the bud see under bud1 nip2 /nip/ noun (also (US) nippˈer)A small quantity of spirits intransitive verb (nippˈing; nipped) To take a nip ORIGIN: Origin obscure nippˈerkin noun (archaic) A small measure of alcoholic drink Nippon /ni-ponˈ/ noun The Japanese name for Japan ORIGIN: Jap ni sun, and pon, from hon origin Nip noun (offensive sl) A Japanese person Nipponeseˈ noun and adjective nep /nep/ or nip /nip/ (now dialect) noun Catmint ORIGIN: L nepeta |