verb Uncommon

nip

nihp

Nip (verb) means to pinch or bite quickly and lightly. Example: “The puppy nipped at my heels the whole walk.”

verb

To pinch or bite quickly and lightly.

"The puppy nipped at my heels the whole walk."

"Careful, the crab will nip your fingers."

To make cold air sting or bite at the skin.

"The frost nipped at our noses on the walk home."

(informal, British) To go somewhere quickly for a short time.

"I'll just nip to the shop for some milk."

noun

A small drink of spirits.

"He took a nip of whisky to warm up."

A sharp bite of cold weather.

"There's a real nip in the air this morning."

How to use nip

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo pinch or bite lightly, to sting with cold, to dash somewhere briefly, or a small drink of alcohol.

UK vs US

"Nip to the shop" (meaning a quick errand) is a distinctly British usage.

Common pairings

nip in the bud a nip in the air nip and tuck

Word forms

nipped past tense, nipped past tense, nipped past tense, nips plural, nips plural, nips plural, nips plural, Nips plural, nips singular, nips singular, nips singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “nip” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Careful, the crab will _____ your fingers.

Etymology

From late Middle English nippen, related to Low German and Dutch words meaning "to pinch."

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

View more →

shot clip tweet squeeze flavor pinch flavour tang smack twitch relish zest

Related words

like top video chance shot feeling enjoy piece

Rhymes for nip

snip

See all rhymes for nip →

Frequently asked questions

What does “nip” mean?

The word “nip” means to pinch or bite quickly and lightly. In plain terms, to pinch or bite lightly, to sting with cold, to dash somewhere briefly, or a small drink of alcohol.

How do you pronounce “nip”?

“Nip” is pronounced nihp (/nɪp/ in IPA).

How do you use “nip” in a sentence?

Here is “nip” used in a sentence: “The puppy nipped at my heels the whole walk.”

What part of speech is “nip”?

Depending on how it is used, “nip” can be a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “nip” come from?

The word “nip” comes from Middle English. From late Middle English nippen, related to Low German and Dutch words meaning "to pinch.".

Is “nip” a common word?

“Nip” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “nip” have?

“Nip” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to pinch or bite quickly and lightly.

Featured in

Vocabulary lists that include nip:

Words that end with P

People also searched

like top video chance shot feeling enjoy piece