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definitions

nipping

[nip-ing]
||

adjective

sharp or biting, as cold.
sarcastic; caustic.

RELATED WORDS

snap, nibble, sip, shot, pinch, bite, drop, jolt, dram, portion, finger, catch, mouthful, slug, morsel, snifter, grip, twitch, clip, twinge

Origin of nipping

First recorded in 1540–50; nip1 + -ing2
Related formsnip·ping·ly, adverb

nip

1
[nip]

verb (used with object), nipped, nip·ping.

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.
  1. (of ice) to press (a ship) from opposite sides.
  2. to seize (a taut rope) to another rope.

verb (used without object), nipped, nip·ping.

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

noun

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.
  1. an abrupt turn or twist in a rope.
  2. a part of a rope or chain bound by a seizing or nipper.
Usually nips. nipper(def 2).

Origin of nip

1
1350–1400; Middle English nyppe to pinch < Old Norse hnippa to poke, thrust

Synonyms for nip

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

nip

2
[nip]

noun

a small drink of alcoholic liquor; sip: a person who relishes an occasional nip.
Chiefly British. split(def 27).

verb (used with or without object), nipped, nip·ping.

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

Origin of nip

2
1690–1700; < Dutch nippen to sip; in def. 2, short for earlier nipperkin vessel holding half-pint or less
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for nipping

British Dictionary definitions for nipping

nipping

adjective

sharp and bitinga nipping wind
sarcastic; bitter
Derived Formsnippingly, adverb

Nip

noun

slang a derogatory word for a Japanese

Word Origin for Nip

C20: short for Nipponese

nip

1

verb nips, nipping or nipped (mainly tr)

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

noun

the act of nipping; a pinch, snip, etc
  1. a frosty or chilly quality
  2. 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
  1. mainly US and Canadianneck and neck
  2. 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

C14: of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse hnippa to prod

nip

2

noun

a small drink of spirits; dram
mainly British a measure of spirits usually equal to one sixth of a gill

verb nips, nipping or nipped

to drink (spirits), esp habitually in small amounts

Word Origin for nip

C18: shortened from nipperkin a vessel holding a half-pint or less, of uncertain origin; compare Dutch nippen to sip
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
Word Origin and History for nipping

nip

n.2

"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

v.

"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

n.1

"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).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper