Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Synonyms
Nearby Entries
nip - 12 dictionary results

nip

1  [nip] verb, nipped, nip⋅ping, noun
Use nip in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to squeeze or compress tightly between two surfaces or points; pinch; bite.
2. to take off by pinching, biting, or snipping (usually fol. by off): He nipped off a piece of steak and gave it to the dog.
3. to check in growth or development.
4. to affect sharply and painfully or injuriously, as a very cold temperature: a cold wind that nips the fingers.
5. Informal. to snatch away suddenly.
6. Informal. to defeat (an opponent) by a very close margin; edge.
7. Informal. to steal or pilfer.
8. Nautical.
a. (of ice) to press (a ship) from opposite sides.
b. to seize (a taut rope) to another rope.
–verb (used without object)
9. Chiefly British Slang. to leave stealthily; sneak away; flee (often fol. by away).
–noun
10. an act of nipping; a pinch or small bite: The dog took several nips at our heels.
11. a biting quality, as in cold or frosty air: There's a nip in the air this morning.
12. sharp cold; a sharp touch of frost: The trees had felt the first nip of winter.
13. a sharp or biting remark.
14. a biting taste or tang, esp. in some cheese.
15. a small bit or quantity of anything: a nip of bread to stave off hunger.
16. Nautical.
a. an abrupt turn or twist in a rope.
b. a part of a rope or chain bound by a seizing or nipper.
17. Usually, nips. nipper (def. 2).
—Idioms
18. nip and tuck, with each competitor equaling or closely contesting the speed, scoring, or efforts of the other: It was nip and tuck as to which sailboat would reach port first.
19. nip in the bud. bud 1 (def. 11).
Origin:
1350–1400; ME nyppe to pinch < ON hnippa to poke, thrust

Synonyms:
4. freeze, bite, pierce, cut, chill.

nip

2  [nip] noun, verb, nipped, nip⋅ping.
–noun
1. a small drink of alcoholic liquor; sip: a person who relishes an occasional nip.
2. Chiefly British. split (def. 27).
–verb (used with object), verb (used without object)
3. to drink (alcoholic liquor) in small sips, esp. repeatedly.
Origin:
1690–1700; < D nippen to sip; in def. 2, short for earlier nipperkin vessel holding half-pint or less

Nip

  [nip]
–noun, adjective Slang: Disparaging and Offensive.
Japanese.
Origin:
short for Nipponese

split

  [split] verb, split, split⋅ting, noun, adjective
–verb (used with object)
1. to divide or separate from end to end or into layers: to split a log in two.
2. to separate by cutting, chopping, etc., usually lengthwise: to split a piece from a block.
3. to tear or break apart; rend or burst: The wind split the sail.
4. to divide into distinct parts or portions (often fol. by up): We split up our rations.
5. to separate (a part) by such division.
6. to divide (persons) into different groups, factions, parties, etc., as by discord: to split a political party.
7. to separate (a group, family, etc.) by such division.
8. to cast (a ballot or vote) for candidates of more than one political party.
9. to divide between two or more persons, groups, etc.; share: We split a bottle of wine.
10. to separate into parts by interposing something: to split an infinitive.
11. Physics, Chemistry. to divide (molecules or atoms) by cleavage into smaller parts.
12. to issue additional shares of (stock) without charge to existing stockholders, thereby dividing their interest into a larger number of shares and reducing the price per share.
13. Slang. leave; depart from: Let's split this scene.
–verb (used without object)
14. to divide, break, or part lengthwise: The board split in half.
15. to part, divide, or separate in any way (often fol. by up): The group of children split up into two teams. We'll split up here and meet later.
16. to break asunder, as a ship by striking on a rock.
17. to become separated, as a piece or part from a whole.
18. to part or separate, as through disagreement; sever relations: They split up after a year of marriage. He split with the company after a policy dispute.
19. to divide or share something with another or others; apportion.
20. Slang. to leave; depart.
–noun
21. the act of splitting.
22. a crack, tear, or fissure caused by splitting.
23. a piece or part separated by or as by splitting.
24. a breach or rupture, as between persons, in a party or organization, etc.
25. a faction, party, etc., formed by a rupture or schism.
26. an ice-cream dish made from sliced fruit, usually a banana, and ice cream, and covered with syrup and nuts.
27. Also called, especially British, nip. a bottle for wine or, sometimes, another beverage, containing from 6 to 6 1/2 oz. (170 to 184 g).
28. a bottle, as of soda, liquor, etc., which is half the usual size.
29. a strip split from an osier, used in basketmaking.
30. Masonry. a brick of normal length and breadth but of half normal thickness, used to give level support to a course of bricks laid over one not level.
31. Often, splits. the feat of separating the legs while sinking to the floor, until they extend at right angles to the body, as in stage performances or gymnastics.
32. Bowling. an arrangement of the pins remaining after the first bowl in two separated groups, so that a spare is difficult.
33. Philately. bisect (def. 5).
34. one of the layers of leather into which a skin is cut.
35. the act of splitting a stock.
–adjective
36. that has undergone splitting; parted lengthwise; cleft.
37. disunited; divided: a split opinion.
38. (of a stock quotation) given in sixteenths instead of eighths of a point.
39. (of a stock) having undergone a split.
—Idioms
40. split hairs. hair (def. 11).
41. split the difference. difference (def. 13).
Origin:
1570–80; 1950–55 for def. 13; < D splitten; akin to splijten, G spleissen to split

Related forms:
split⋅ta⋅ble, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To nip
nip 1   (nĭp)   
v.   nipped, nip·ping, nips

v.   tr.
  1. To seize and pinch or bite: The fish nipped the wader's toe.
  2. To remove or sever by pinching or snipping: nipped off the plant leaf.
  3. To bite or sting with the cold; chill.
  4. To check or cut off the growth or development of: a conspiracy that was nipped in the bud by the police. See Synonyms at blast.
  5. Slang
    1. To snatch up hastily.
    2. To take (the property of another) unlawfully; steal.
v.   intr. Chiefly British
To move quickly; dart.
n.  
  1. The act or an instance of seizing or pinching.
    1. A pinch or snip that cuts off or removes a small part: He gave a small nip to each corner of the cloth.
    2. The small bit or portion so removed: There were nips of construction paper all over the child's table.
    3. A sharp, stinging quality, as of frosty air.
    4. Severely sharp cold or frost.
    1. A sharp, stinging quality, as of frosty air.
    2. Severely sharp cold or frost.
  4. A cutting remark.
  5. A sharp, biting flavor; a tang: the nip of Mexican salsa.

[Middle English nippen, perhaps from Middle Dutch nipen.]
nip 2   (nĭp)   
n.  A small amount of liquor.
v.   nipped, nip·ping, nips

v.   tr.
To sip (alcoholic liquor) in small amounts: had been nipping brandy.
v.   intr.
To take a sip or sips of alcoholic liquor: nips all day long.

[Probably short for nipperkin, of Dutch or Low German origin.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

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.

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.

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.

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

The small shoots . . . must be nipped off. --Mortimer.

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

4. To vex or pain, as by nipping; hence, to taunt.

And sharp remorse his heart did prick and nip. --Spenser.

To nip in the bud, to cut off at the verycommencement of growth; to kill in the incipient stage.

Nip

Nip\, n. 1. A seizing or closing in upon; a pinching; as, in the northern seas, the nip of masses of ice.

2. A pinch with the nails or teeth.

3. A small cut, or a cutting off the end.

4. A blast; a killing of the ends of plants by frost.

5. A biting sarcasm; a taunt. --Latimer.

6. (Naut.) A short turn in a rope.

Nip and tuck, a phrase signifying equality in a contest. [Low, U.S.]
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source
Language Translation for : nip
Spanish: pellizcar,
German: kneifen,
Japanese: つねる
More Translations »

nip  (v.)
"to pinch sharply, to bite," 1393, related to M.L.G. nipen "to nip," Du. nijpen, but the exact evolution of the stem is obscure. The noun is attested from 1551. Nipper "small boy" (1859) was originally (1535) a pickpocket who "pinched" other people's property. To nip (something) in the bud in the fig. sense is first recorded 1606. Nip and tuck "a close thing" is recorded from 1832, perhaps from sailing or tailoring. Nippy in ref. to a "biting" chill in the air is first recorded 1898.

nip  (n.)
"small measure of spirits," 1796, shortening of nipperkin (1671) "quantity of liquor of a half pint or less," possibly of Du. or Low Ger. origin and related to nip (v.).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
NIP
National Immunization Program
The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see nip on Thesaurus | Reference