nip
nip Lexical Profile
nip Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A quick, sharp bite or pinch.
"The playful puppy gave my ankle a gentle nip as I walked past."
A sharp, biting coldness in the air or weather.
"There was a distinct nip in the autumn air as the sun went down."
A small sip or draught of a strong alcoholic beverage.
"He took a quick nip of whiskey from his flask to warm up after the hike."
• verb
To bite, pinch, or squeeze sharply and quickly.
"The crab tried to nip my fingers when I lifted the rock."
British To go or move quickly and lightly for a short distance or brief errand.
"I am just going to nip out to the corner shop for a carton of milk."
To sever, clip, or remove the tip of something by pinching or cutting.
"The gardener used shears to nip the dead buds off the rosebushes."
To damage, check the growth of, or chill sharply (especially of frost or cold wind).
"An unexpected late frost nipped the tender peach blossoms overnight."
• Rhymes for nip
Word Origin & Etymology
Dating back to the late 14th century, the word likely derives from Middle Dutch 'nippen' or Low German 'knippen', meaning to pinch or tweak. The drinking sense of a small sip of liquor emerged in the late 18th century as an abbreviation of 'nipperkin', a small liquid measure.