nub

American  

[nuhb] / nʌb /

Or knub

noun

1. the point, gist, or heart of something.

2. a knob or protuberance.

3. a lump or small piece.

   a nub of coal; a nub of pencil.

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

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nub British  

/ nʌb /

noun

1. a small lump or protuberance

2. a small piece or chunk

3. the point or gist

   the nub of a story

4. a small fibrous knot in yarn

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Other Word Forms

• nubbly adjective

Etymology

Origin of nub

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

Example Sentences

There lies the nub of the dilemma for Qatar and the five other Gulf states facing the brunt of the backlash from a war they tried to avert through diplomacy.

From Salon

Still, I was worn down to a nub by bedtime, too tuckered to sleep.

From Literature

Calvin looked annoyed at the request, but Ella dug around in her bag and thrust a crumpled scrap of paper and the nub of a pencil into my hand.

From Literature

However, a judge ordered the council to re-look at the complaint, saying it had not considered the nub of the matter - whether the fouling constituted a "statutory nuisance".

From BBC

He jotted down this bon mot with his pencil nub.

From Literature

Related Words

• crux
• upshot