nibble
to bite off small bits.
to eat or chew in small bites: Give him a graham cracker to nibble on.
to bite, eat, or chew gently and in small amounts (usually followed by at): She was so upset she could only nibble at her food.
to bite off small bits of (something).
to eat (food) by biting off small pieces.
to bite in small bits: He nibbled each morsel with great deliberation.
a small morsel or bit: Each nibble was eaten with the air of an epicure.
an act or instance of nibbling.
a response by a fish to bait on a fishing line.
any preliminary positive response or reaction.
Idioms about nibble
nibble away at, to cause to decrease or diminish bit by bit: Inflation was nibbling away at her savings. The rains nibbled at the loam.: Also nibble at.
Origin of nibble
1Other words for nibble
Other words from nibble
- un·nib·bled, adjective
Words Nearby nibble
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use nibble in a sentence
Will he nibble around the edges, or will he actually take on the oil companies?
Would he be able to nibble on foie gras, slurp fettuccine Alfredo, and sample chocolate mousse without putting on weight again?
It stopped to nibble a few burrs, and when it was shooed on, it didn't stop to walk around the obstruction.
The Red Cow and Her Friends | Peter McArthurThe result was that the sheep came right up to the door to nibble the young and juicy grass.
The Red Cow and Her Friends | Peter McArthurIf they are young hawk-bills, they will nibble the seaweed, and soon go on to crabs and shell-fish, and even little fishes.
The Animal Story Book | Various
Beneath this the girl stopped a moment, and let Bumper nibble at the green grass.
Bumper, The White Rabbit | George Ethelbert WalshHe had tried all day to nibble through it, and dig under it, but the wire had only hurt his teeth without giving way a particle.
Bumper, The White Rabbit | George Ethelbert Walsh
British Dictionary definitions for nibble
/ (ˈnɪbəl) /
(esp of animals, such as mice) to take small repeated bites (of)
to take dainty or tentative bites: to nibble at a cake
to bite (at) gently or caressingly
(intr) to make petty criticisms
(intr) to consider tentatively or cautiously: to nibble at an idea
a small mouthful
an instance or the act of nibbling
(plural) informal small items of food, esp savouries, usually served with drinks
Origin of nibble
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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