n.
Pronunciation: ' nip
Function: verb
Inflected Form: nipped ; nip · ping
Etymology: Middle English nippen; akin to Middle Dutch nipen to pinch, Old Norse hnippa to prod
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1 a : to catch hold of and squeeze tightly between two surfaces, edges, or points : PINCH , BITE <the dog nipped his ankle> b : to pinch in (as a garment) <a dress nipped at the waist>
2 a : to sever by or as if by pinching sharply b : to destroy the growth, progress, or fulfillment of < nipped in the bud>
3 : to injure or make numb with cold : CHILL
4 : SNATCH , STEAL
5 : to defeat by a small margin
intransitive verb
1 : to move briskly, nimbly, or quickly
2 chiefly British : to make a quick trip