nub

or knub

[nuhb]

See more synonyms for nub on Thesaurus.com

noun

the point, gist, or heart of something.
a knob or protuberance.
a lump or small piece: a nub of coal; a nub of pencil.

a small mass of fibers produced on a card, dyed brilliant colors, and introduced into yarn during the spinning process.

Origin of nub

1585–95; < Low German, Middle Low German knubbe; cf. knob

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for nub

crux, upshot, heart, substance, meat, kernel, nitty-gritty, essence, point, pith, short, basic, nucleus, nubbin, node, knob, bulge, swelling, protuberance, lump

Examples from the Web for nub

Contemporary Examples of nub

Crippling weight loss and the task of adjusting to life as a single mom nearly wore me to a nub.
My Fight to Stop My Divorce
Beverly Willett
August 28, 2010
Or you could go whole hog like Nub Sweeney and just wear overalls.
The Best "Pants on the Ground" Covers
The Daily Beast Video
January 18, 2010

Historical Examples of nub

Nub gazed at the creature, but his courage did not fail him.
The South Sea Whaler
W.H.G. Kingston
“Ay, Massa Shobbrok, you can never pray for too much,” said Nub.
The South Sea Whaler
W.H.G. Kingston
In vain the mate and Nub looked around on every side in the hope of seeing it.
The South Sea Whaler
W.H.G. Kingston
“We go to get fresh water, and be back soon wid it,” said Nub as they passed.
The South Sea Whaler
W.H.G. Kingston
Nub was now near the hole where the female hornbill had been seen.
The South Sea Whaler
W.H.G. Kingston

British Dictionary definitions for nub

nub

noun

a small lump or protuberance
a small piece or chunk
the point or gistthe nub of a story
a small fibrous knot in yarn

Derived Formsnubbly, adjective

Word Origin for nub

C16: variant of knub, from Middle Low German knubbe knob

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 nub

"knob, lump, bump," 1590s, variant of dialectal knub, probably a variant of knob. Figurative meaning "point, gist" first recorded 1834.