nib
/nib/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- The horny projecting mouth of a bird; a beak: The pointed, hard part of a bird's mouth used for pecking, eating, and handling objects.
- The writing point of a pen: The metal tip, especially of a fountain pen, through which ink flows onto the writing surface.
Examples of Usage
Noun (Bird's beak):
- The sparrow cracked the seed open with its sharp nib.
- The bird's nib was perfectly adapted for extracting insects from bark.
Noun (Pen point):
- The fountain pen has a gold nib that provides a smooth writing experience.
- He damaged the nib of his pen by pressing too hard on the paper.
Advanced Usage
- "To have a nib at something": To make a small, tentative attempt or bite at something. (This usage is less common and often informal).
- The fish had a nib at the bait but didn't take the hook.
Variants and Related Words
- Nibbed (adj): Having a nib or point.
- A finely nibbed pen is a joy to write with.
Synonyms
- Beak: The horny projecting jaws of a bird (specifically for the first meaning).
- Bill: Another term for a bird's beak.
- Tip: The pointed or rounded end of something (for the pen part, though less specific).
- Point: The sharp or tapered end of a tool or instrument.
Related Phrases
- Pen nib: A common compound term specifying the writing point.
- He collects vintage pen nibs from different manufacturers.
Noun
- horny projecting mouth of a bird
- the writing point of a pen