Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Nip
Nip
,Noun.
[LG. & D.
nippen
to sip; akin to Dan. nippe
, G. nippen
.] A sip or small draught; esp., a draught of intoxicating liquor; a dram.
Nip
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Nipped
, less properly Nipt
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Nipping
.] [OE.
nipen
; cf. D. niipen
to pinch, also knippen
to nip, clip, pinch, snap, knijpen
to pinch, LG. knipen
, G. kneipen
, kneifen
, to pinch, cut off, nip, Lith. knebti
.] 1.
To catch and inclose or compress tightly between two surfaces, or points which are brought together or closed; to pinch; to close in upon.
May this hard earth cleave to the Nadir hell,
Down, down, and close again, and
If I be such a traitress.
Down, down, and close again, and
nip
me flat,If I be such a traitress.
Tennyson.
2.
To remove by pinching, biting, or cutting with two meeting edges of anything; to clip.
The small shoots . . . must be
nipped
off. Mortimer.
3.
Hence: To blast, as by frost; to check the growth or vigor of; to destroy.
4.
To vex or pain, as by nipping; hence, to taunt.
And sharp remorse his heart did prick and
nip
. Spenser.
To nip in the bud
, to cut off at the very commencement of growth; to kill in the incipient stage.
Nip
,Noun.
1.
A seizing or closing in upon; a pinching;
as, in the northern seas, the
. nip
of masses of ice2.
A pinch with the nails or teeth.
3.
A small cut, or a cutting off the end.
4.
A blast; a killing of the ends of plants by frost.
5.
A biting sarcasm; a taunt.
Latimer.
6.
(Naut.)
A short turn in a rope.
Nip and tuck
, a phrase signifying equality in a contest;
as, it was
. nip and tuck
right to the last minute of play[Low, U.S.]
Webster 1828 Edition
Nip
NIP
,Verb.
T.
1.
To cut, bite or pinch off the end or nib, or to pinch off with the ends of the fingers. The word is used in both senses; the former is probably the true sense. Hence,2.
To cut off the end of any thing; to clip, as with a knife or scissors; as, to nip off a shoot or twig.3.
To blast; to kill or destroy the end of any thing; hence, to kill; as, the frost has nipped the corn; the leaves are nipped; the plant was nipped int he bud. Hence, to nip in the bud, is to kill or destroy in infancy or youth, or in the first stage of growth.4.
To pinch, bite or affect the extremities of any thing; as a nipping frost; hence, to pinch or bite in general; to check growth.5.
To check circulation.When blood is nipt. [Unusual.]
6.
To bite; to vex.And sharp remorse his heart did prick and nip.
7.
To satirize keenly; to taunt sarcastically.NIP
,Noun.
1.
A pinch with the nails or teeth.2.
A small cut, or a cutting off the end.3.
A blast; a killing of the ends of plants; destruction by frost.4.
A biting sarcasm; a taunt.5.
A sip or small draught; as a nip of toddy.