Definition

1. Noun:

   • A small, sharp bite or pinch: A quick, biting action, often with the teeth or fingers.
   • A small amount of alcoholic drink: A small, quick drink, especially of strong liquor.
   • A sharp, stinging quality: A sensation of coldness or a sharp, pungent flavor.
   • (Offensive Slang): An offensive term for a person of Japanese descent.

2. Verb:

   • To bite or pinch sharply and quickly: To give a small, sharp bite or to pinch.
   • To sever or remove by pinching: To cut or break something off by pinching.
   • To move quickly: To go somewhere rapidly or briefly.
   • To affect with cold: To cause a stinging sensation due to cold.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • The puppy gave my finger a playful nip.
  • He took a quick nip of brandy to warm up.
  • There's a nip in the air this morning.

• Verb:

  • Be careful, that dog might nip you.
  • She nipped the dead leaves off the plant.
  • I'll just nip out to the store for some milk.

Advanced Usage

• "nip something in the bud": To stop something at an early stage before it can develop into a larger problem.

  • We need to nip this bad habit in the bud before it gets worse.

• "nip and tuck": Very close, as in a race or competition; also refers to cosmetic surgery.

  • The election was nip and tuck until the final votes were counted.

Variants and Related Words

• Nippy (adj): Chilly, cold; or quick and agile.

  • It's a bit nippy outside today.
  • She's a nippy little runner.

• Nip-off (n, informal): A theft or something stolen.

  • That was a clever nip-off.

Synonyms

• Bite: To cut or grip with teeth.
• Pinch: To squeeze tightly between fingers.
• Sip: To drink a small amount.
• Dart: To move suddenly and quickly.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Nip along: To go somewhere quickly.

  • You'd better nip along or you'll be late.

• Nip in: To enter quickly or briefly; to interrupt.

  • He nipped in just before the door closed.
  • She nipped in with a comment before I could finish.

• Nip out: To leave quickly for a short time.

  • I'm just going to nip out for a coffee.

• Nip off: To leave quickly; to remove by pinching.

  • He nipped off before the meeting ended.
  • She nipped off the wilted flower heads.

• Nip up: To rise or get up quickly.

  • He nipped up from his chair to answer the door.

Related Idioms

• Nip at someone's heels: To follow closely behind, often in a competitive or threatening way.
  • The younger players are nipping at his heels for the starting position.

Noun

1. a small sharp bite or snip
2. a tart spicy quality
3. the property of being moderately cold
   • the chilliness of early morning
4. the taste experience when a savoury condiment is taken into the mouth
5. (offensive slang) offensive term for a person of Japanese descent
6. a small drink of liquor
   • he poured a shot of whiskey

Verb

1. sever or remove by pinching or snipping
   • nip off the flowers
2. give a small sharp bite to
   • The Queen's corgis always nip at her staff's ankles
3. squeeze tightly between the fingers
   • He pinched her behind
   • She squeezed the bottle