/nik/ , n.
1. a small notch, groove, chip, or the like, cut into or existing in something.
2. a hollow place produced in an edge or surface, as of a dish, by breaking, chipping, or the like: I didn't notice those tiny nicks in the vase when I bought it.
3. a small dent or wound.
4. a small groove on one side of the shank of a printing type, serving as a guide in setting or to distinguish different types. See diag. under type .
5. Biochem. a break in one strand of a double-stranded DNA or RNA molecule.
6. Brit. Slang. prison.
7. in the nick of time , at the right or vital moment, usually at the last possible moment: The fire engines arrived in the nick of time.
v.t.
8. to cut into or through: I nicked my chin while shaving.
9. to hit or injure slightly.
10. to make a nick or nicks in (something); notch, groove, or chip.
11. to record by means of a notch or notches.
12. to incise certain tendons at the root of (a horse's tail) to give it a higher carrying position; make an incision under the tail of (a horse).
13. to hit, guess, catch, etc., exactly.
14. Slang. to trick, cheat, or defraud: How much did they nick you for that suit?
15. Brit. Slang.
a. to arrest (a criminal or suspect).
b. to capture; nab.
c. to steal: Someone nicked her pocketbook on the bus.
[ 1475-85; obscurely akin to OE gehnycned wrinkled, ON hnykla to wrinkle ]