nipping
- sharp or biting, as cold.
- sarcastic; caustic.
Origin of nipping
nip
1- to squeeze or compress tightly between two surfaces or points; pinch; bite.
- to take off by pinching, biting, or snipping (usually followed by off): He nipped off a piece of steak and gave it to the dog.
- to check in growth or development.
- to affect sharply and painfully or injuriously, as a very cold temperature: a cold wind that nips the fingers.
- Informal. to snatch away suddenly.
- Informal. to defeat (an opponent) by a very close margin; edge.
- Informal. to steal or pilfer.
- Nautical.
- (of ice) to press (a ship) from opposite sides.
- to seize (a taut rope) to another rope.
- Chiefly British Slang. to leave stealthily; sneak away; flee (often followed by away).
- an act of nipping; a pinch or small bite: The dog took several nips at our heels.
- a biting quality, as in cold or frosty air: There's a nip in the air this morning.
- sharp cold; a sharp touch of frost: The trees had felt the first nip of winter.
- a sharp or biting remark.
- a biting taste or tang, especially in some cheese.
- a small bit or quantity of anything: a nip of bread to stave off hunger.
- Nautical.
- an abrupt turn or twist in a rope.
- a part of a rope or chain bound by a seizing or nipper.
- Usually nips. nipper(def 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 in the bud. bud1(def 13).
Origin of nip
1Synonyms for nip
nip
2- a small drink of alcoholic liquor; sip: a person who relishes an occasional nip.
- Chiefly British. split(def 27).
- to drink (alcoholic liquor) in small sips, especially repeatedly.
Origin of nip
2Related Words for nipping
snap, nibble, sip, shot, pinch, bite, drop, jolt, dram, portion, finger, catch, mouthful, slug, morsel, snifter, grip, twitch, clip, twingeExamples from the Web for nipping
Contemporary Examples of nipping
It is your best shot at nipping any future wedding invites (and accompanying airfare to Missouri) in the bud.
While Michael Jackson had younger sister Janet nipping at his heels with Grammy Awards and gold records, Whitney stood alone.
Whitney’s Shadow Hangs Over Painful, Intrusive ‘Houstons’ Reality ShowAllison Samuels
October 24, 2012
This source and others pointed to the site JustJared as nipping at Hilton's heels as a music industry influencer.
Heading into the fourth day of competition, upstart Wall Street Journal was nipping at the heels of the Gray Lady.
The key to nipping negative cycles in the bud is doing recovery activities in the right order.
Historical Examples of nipping
The horse has formed them for nipping, and his hind teeth for grinding.
The Meaning of EvolutionSamuel Christian Schmucker
It was nipping cold and he walked as fast as the heavy sand permitted.
The Forbidden TrailHonor Willsie
And, if we did, we should have France or Germany nipping in directly.
The willows began to shake and quiver and the wind that stirred them was nipping.
The Eyes of the WoodsJoseph A. Altsheler
You can bar the very gates of heaven with that nipping little word.
The Right KnockHelen Van-Anderson
nipping
- sharp and bitinga nipping wind
- sarcastic; bitter
Nip
- slang a derogatory word for a Japanese
Word Origin for Nip
nip
1- to catch or tightly compress, as between a finger and the thumb; pinch
- (often foll by off) to remove by clipping, biting, etc
- (when intr, often foll by at) to give a small sharp bite (to)the dog nipped at his heels
- (esp of the cold) to affect with a stinging sensation
- to harm through coldthe frost nipped the young plants
- to check or destroy the growth of (esp in the phrase nip in the bud)
- slang to steal
- (intr; foll by along, up, out, etc) British informal to hurry; dart
- slang, mainly US and Canadian to snatch
- the act of nipping; a pinch, snip, etc
- a frosty or chilly quality
- severe frost or coldthe first nip of winter
- a small piece or quantityhe went out for a nip of fresh air
- a sharp flavour or tang
- archaic a taunting remark
- nip and tuck
- mainly US and Canadianneck and neck
- informalplastic surgery performed for cosmetic reasons
- put the nips in Australian and NZ slang to exert pressure on someone, esp in order to extort money
Word Origin for nip
nip
2- a small drink of spirits; dram
- mainly British a measure of spirits usually equal to one sixth of a gill
- to drink (spirits), esp habitually in small amounts
Word Origin for nip
Word Origin and History for nipping
nip
"a pinch; a sharp bite," 1540s, from nip (v.). Meaning "a chill in the weather" is from 1610s, probably so called for its effect on vegetation. Nip and tuck "a close thing" is recorded from 1832, perhaps from sailing or tailoring.
nip
"to pinch sharply; to bite suddenly," late 14c., related to Middle Low German nipen "to nip, to pinch," Middle Dutch nipen "to pinch," Dutch nijpen, Old Norse hnippa "to prod," but the exact evolution of the stem is obscure. Related: Nipped; nipping. To nip (something) in the bud in the figurative sense is first recorded c.1600.
nip
"small measure of spirits," 1796, shortening of nipperkin (1670s) "quantity of liquor of a half pint or less," possibly of Dutch or Low German origin and related to nip (v.). Reinforced by nip (n.2) on notion of "fragment or bit pinched off" (c.1600).