nip

Noun · Verb
Synonyms: shotJapNiprelishflavorflavoursapiditysavorsavoursmacktangchilliness

WordNet 3.0

Noun (6)

  1. a small drink of liquor“he poured a shot of whiskey”Synonyms: shot
  2. (offensive slang) offensive term for a person of Japanese descentSynonyms: JapNip
  3. the taste experience when a savoury condiment is taken into the mouthSynonyms: relishflavorflavoursapiditysavorsavoursmacktang
  4. the property of being moderately cold“the chilliness of early morning”Synonyms: chillinesscoolness
  5. a tart spicy qualitySynonyms: piquancepiquancypiquantnesstangtanginesszest
  6. a small sharp bite or snipSynonyms: pinch

Verb (3)

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

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

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]
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. knebti.]

1.To catch and inclose or compress tightly between two surfaces, or points which are brought together or closed; to pinch; to close in upon. [1913 Webster]

May this hard earth cleave to the Nadir hell, Down, down, and close again, and nip me flat, If I be such a traitress.— Tennyson.[1913 Webster]

2.To remove by pinching, biting, or cutting with two meeting edges of anything; to clip. [1913 Webster]

The small shoots . . . must be nipped off.— Mortimer.[1913 Webster]

3.Hence: To blast, as by frost; to check the growth or vigor of; to destroy. [1913 Webster]

4.To vex or pain, as by nipping; hence, to taunt. [1913 Webster]

And sharp remorse his heart did prick and nip.— Spenser.[1913 Webster]

To nip in the bud, to cut off at the very commencement of growth; to kill in the incipient stage. [1913 Webster]

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 killing of the ends of plants by frost. [1913 Webster]

5.A biting sarcasm; a taunt. --Latimer. [1913 Webster]

6.(Naut.) A short turn in a rope. [1913 Webster]

Nip and tuck, a phrase signifying equality in a contest; as, it was nip and tuck right to the last minute of play. [Low, U.S.] [1913 Webster]

Advertisement