nib

[ nib ]

/ nɪb /

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See synonyms for nib on Thesaurus.com

noun

the point of a pen, or either of its divisions.

a penpoint for insertion into a penholder.

a point of anything: a cutting tool with a diamond nib.

a bill or beak, as of a bird; neb.

any pointed extremity.

Metallurgy.

a piece of sintered tungsten carbide used as a die for drawing wire or the like.
(in powder metallurgy) a compact at any stage of its manufacture.

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SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

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Question 1 of 6

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shall

should

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Origin of nib

1575–85; perhaps variant of neb; compare Dutch nib,Middle Low German nibbe (variant of nebbe) beak, Old Norse nibba sharp point. See nibble

OTHER WORDS FROM nib

niblike, adjective

Words nearby nib

Niagara green, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niah Cave, Niamey, Niarchos, nib, nibbana, nibble, nibbler, Nibelung, Nibelungenlied

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use nib in a sentence

Durable and stiffer than diamond, osmium makes for excellent pen nibs and record player needles.
Transparent aluminum, and 5 more remarkable metals|Shi En Kim|August 2, 2022|Popular-Science
It mimics the sensation of a graphic nib dragging across paper with eerie accuracy.
The most innovative gadgets of 2021|Stan Horaczek|December 1, 2021|Popular-Science
Instead go for something else textural, such as cocoa nibs, toasted oats, nuts or even crushed pretzels.
These no-bake peppermint chocolate bars bring holiday cheer to your cookie plate|Edd Kimber|December 2, 2020|Washington Post
When the cocoa beans are roasted, their shells crack to expose the nib, which is then ground into a thick paste.
Four Chocolate Questions Answered|Mary Goodbody|September 29, 2009|DAILY BEAST

In the stormy days of his youth the old man had been a "Black Nib."
Auld Licht Idylls|J. M. Barrie
It might not be safe to kill him; but it would be safe enough to kill Nib.
That Lass O' Lowrie's|Frances Hodgson Burnett
They wrangled together for a few minutes, and then Nib was handed over.
That Lass O' Lowrie's|Frances Hodgson Burnett
Jud drew Nib closer, and turned, if possible, a trifle paler.
That Lass O' Lowrie's|Frances Hodgson Burnett
"Stopped to nib a quill after lunch," grumbled the director of the Arnold Academie, as he gave Robert a pump-handle squeeze.
The Incendiary|W. A. (William Augustine) Leahy

British Dictionary definitions for nib

nib

/ (nɪb) /

noun

the writing point of a pen, esp an insertable tapered metal part with a split tip

a point, tip, or beak

(plural) crushed cocoa beans

verb nibs, nibbing or nibbed (tr)

to provide with a nib

to prepare or sharpen the nib of

Derived forms of nib

niblike, adjective

Word Origin for nib

C16 (in the sense: beak): origin obscure; compare Northern German nibbe tip. See neb, nibble

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for nib

nib

[ nĭb ]

The smooth or serrated portion of a dental instrument that comes into contact with restorative material being condensed.