nip
5 ENTRIES FOUND:
nips;
nipped;
nipping
nips;
nipped;
nipping
Britannica Dictionary definition of NIP
1
:
to bite or pinch (someone or something) lightly
[+ object]
-
The dog nipped my ankles.
[no object]
— + at
-
The dog nipped at my ankles.
2
[+ object]
US, sports
:
to defeat (someone or something) by a small amount
-
The New York Mets nipped the Atlanta Braves 1–0.
3
always followed by an adverb or preposition,
[no object]
chiefly British, informal
:
to go to a place quickly or for a short period of time
-
I had to nip back to my place.
-
He nipped in ahead of me in line.
-
He nipped into the store to buy milk.
4
:
to harm or hurt (something) with cold
[+ object]
-
An early frost nipped the crops.
-
The cold wind was nipping my nose.
[no object]
— + at
-
The cold wind nipped at my nose.
nip off
[phrasal verb]
nip off (something)
or
nip (something) off
:
to remove (something) by squeezing it tightly between your fingers or the parts of a tool
-
He nipped off the bud with his fingers.
-
She nipped the dead branches off with her clippers.
nip (something) in the bud
informal
:
to stop (something) immediately so that it does not become a worse problem
-
Inflation will only get worse if the government doesn't do something right now to nip it in the bud.
2
nip
/ˈnɪp/
noun
plural
nips
2
nip
/ˈnɪp/
noun
plural
nips
Britannica Dictionary definition of NIP
1
[singular]
:
a feeling of cold
-
I could feel the nip [=coldness] in the air.
2
[count]
:
a light bite or pinch
-
The dog gave me a nip on the leg.
—
compare 3nip
3
nip
/ˈnɪp/
noun
plural
nips
3
nip
/ˈnɪp/
noun
plural
nips
Britannica Dictionary definition of NIP
[count]
1
informal
:
a small amount of liquor
-
a nip of whiskey
-
He takes a nip now and then.
2
:
a very small bottle of liquor
—
compare 2nip
