nip

nip
I. verb (nipped; nipping) Etymology: Middle English nippen; akin to Middle Dutch nipen to pinch, Old Norse hnippa to prod Date: 14th century transitive verb 1. a. to catch hold of and squeeze tightly between two surfaces, edges, or points ; pinch, bite <
the dog nipped his ankle
>
b. to pinch in (as a garment) <
a dress nipped at the waist
>
2. a. to sever by or as if by pinching sharply b. to destroy the growth, progress, or fulfillment of <
nipped in the bud
>
3. to injure or make numb with cold ; chill 4. snatch, steal 5. to defeat by a small margin intransitive verb 1. to move briskly, nimbly, or quickly 2. chiefly British to make a quick trip II. noun Date: 1549 1. something that nips: as a. archaic a sharp biting comment b. a sharp stinging cold <
a nip in the air
>
c. a biting or pungent flavor ; tang <
cheese with a nip
>
2. the act of nipping ; pinch, bite 3. the region of a squeezing or crushing device (as a calender) where the rolls or jaws are closest together 4. a small portion III. noun Etymology: probably from nipperkin, a liquor container Date: circa 1796 a small quantity of liquor ; sip; also a very small bottle of liquor IV. intransitive verb (nipped; nipping) Date: 1887 to take liquor in nips ; tipple

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • Nip — may refer to:* Nip is a derogatory word for a Japanese person. It is derived from Nippon , the Japanese term for Japan. Usage in this context probably peaked around the time of World War II. It is seldom used this way today. Heard frequently on… …   Wikipedia

  • Nip — Nip, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Nipped}, less properly {Nipt}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Nipping}.] [OE. nipen; cf. D. niipen to pinch, also knippen to nip, clip, pinch, snap, knijpen to pinch, LG. knipen, G. kneipen, kneifen, to pinch, cut off, nip, Lith.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Nip — Nip, n. 1. A seizing or closing in upon; a pinching; as, in the northern seas, the nip of masses of ice. [1913 Webster] 2. A pinch with the nails or teeth. [1913 Webster] 3. A small cut, or a cutting off the end. [1913 Webster] 4. A blast; a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • NIP — NIP, NIPS, or nip may refer to: Neural Information Processing Systems, a computational statistics conference held annually, usually in Canada. Naval Intelligence Professionals, an association of active duty, retired and reserve officers, enlisted …   Wikipedia

  • nip — nip1 [nip] vt. nipped, nipping [ME nippen, prob. < MLowG nippen or ON hnippa < IE * kneib (< base * ken , to scrape) > Gr kniptos, stingy] 1. to catch or squeeze between two surfaces, points, or edges; pinch or bite 2. to sever… …   English World dictionary

  • nip — Ⅰ. nip [1] ► VERB (nipped, nipping) 1) pinch, squeeze, or bite sharply. 2) (of cold or frost) cause pain or harm to. 3) Brit. informal go quickly. ► NOUN 1) …   English terms dictionary

  • nip — [n] swallow, taste bite, catch, dram, drop, finger, jolt, morsel, mouthful, nibble, pinch, portion, shot*, sip, slug*, snifter, soupçon, toothful; concepts 458,831 Ant. mouthful nip [v1] bite; take small part catch, clip, compress, grip, munch,… …   New thesaurus

  • Nip — [nip] n. [< NIP(PONESE)] [also n ] Slang a Japanese: a term of contempt or derision …   English World dictionary

  • nip|py — «NIHP ee», adjective, pi|er, pi|est. 1. biting; sharp: »a nippy wind, nippy cheese. 2. apt to nip: »a nippy dog …   Useful english dictionary

  • Nip — Nip, n. [LG. & D. nippen to sip; akin to Dan. nippe, G. nippen.] A sip or small draught; esp., a draught of intoxicating liquor; a dram. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • nip-up — /nip up /, n. a calisthenic routine or gymnastic move of springing to one s feet from a supine position. [1935 40; n. use of v. phrase nip up] * * * …   Universalium

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