nip

¹ American  

[nip] / nɪp /

verb (used with object)

nipped, nipping

1. to squeeze or compress tightly between two surfaces or points; pinch; bite.

2. to take off by pinching, biting, or snipping (usually followed byoff ).

   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.

   Synonyms:

   chill, cut, pierce, bite, freeze

5. Informal. to snatch away suddenly.

6. Informal. to defeat (an opponent) by a very close margin; edge out.

7. Informal. to steal or pilfer.

8. Nautical.

   1. (of ice) to press (a ship) from opposite sides.

   2. to seize (a taut rope) to another rope.

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verb (used without object)

nipped, nipping

1. Chiefly British Slang. to leave stealthily; sneak away; flee (often followed byaway ).

noun

1. an act of nipping; a pinch or small bite.

   The dog took several nips at our heels.

2. a biting quality, as in cold or frosty air.

   There's a nip in the air this morning.

3. sharp cold; a sharp touch of frost.

   The trees had felt the first nip of winter.

4. a sharp or biting remark.

5. a biting taste or tang, especially in some cheese.

6. a small bit or quantity of anything.

   a nip of bread to stave off hunger.

7. Nautical.

   1. an abrupt turn or twist in a rope.

   2. a part of a rope or chain bound by a seizing or nipper.

8. Usually nips. nipper.

idioms

1. nip in the bud. bud.

2. 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.

nip ² American  

[nip] / nɪp /

noun

1. a small drink of alcoholic liquor; sip.

   a person who relishes an occasional nip.

2. Chiefly British. split.

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verb (used with or without object)

nipped, nipping

1. to drink (alcoholic liquor) in small sips, especially repeatedly.

Nip ³ American  

[nip] / nɪp /

noun

Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive.

1. a contemptuous term used to refer to a Japanese person.

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nip ¹ British  

/ nɪp /

verb

1. to catch or tightly compress, as between a finger and the thumb; pinch

2. (often foll by off) to remove by clipping, biting, etc

3. to give a small sharp bite (to)

   the dog nipped at his heels

4. (esp of the cold) to affect with a stinging sensation

5. to harm through cold

   the frost nipped the young plants

6. to check or destroy the growth of (esp in the phrase nip in the bud )

7. slang to steal

8. informal (intr; foll by along, up, out, etc) to hurry; dart

9. slang to snatch

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noun

1. the act of nipping; a pinch, snip, etc

2. 1. a frosty or chilly quality

   2. severe frost or cold

      the first nip of winter

3. a small piece or quantity

   he went out for a nip of fresh air

4. a sharp flavour or tang

5. archaic a taunting remark

6. 1. neck and neck

   2. informal plastic surgery performed for cosmetic reasons

7. slang to exert pressure on someone, esp in order to extort money

nip ² British  

/ nɪp /

noun

1. a small drink of spirits; dram

2. a measure of spirits usually equal to one sixth of a gill

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verb

1. to drink (spirits), esp habitually in small amounts

Nip ³ British  

/ nɪp /

noun

1. slang a derogatory word for a Japanese

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Sensitive Note

This term, patterned on the earlier term Jap , was first used in English shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Etymology

Origin of nip¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English nippen, nipe(n), nip “to bite, pinch,” from Old Norse hnippa “to poke, thrust”

Origin of nip²

First recorded in 1690–1700; from Dutch nippen “to sip”; nip ² in def. 2, short for earlier nipperkin “vessel holding half-pint or less”

Origin of Nip³

First recorded in 1942; short for Nipponese

Example Sentences

Shelter workers mentioned a previous bite but characterized it as a nip at the heels and “not a big deal,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 30, 2026

This is why a lot of Jews want to nip that rhetoric in the bud.

From Slate • Dec. 19, 2025

With a bit of nip off the surface and the Kookaburra balls doing more than in years gone by, it might make sense to bowl a touch fuller.

From BBC • Nov. 19, 2025

On some days, Blanchard will nip over to a local park with a metal detector in hopes of finding lost gold jewelry.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 13, 2025

I almost nip the human’s long, nubby fore-toes.

From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz

Related Words

• nibble
• snap