nipped; nipping
1
2
a
: to sever by or as if by pinching sharply
nipped the dead flowers from the plant
b
: to destroy the growth, progress, or fulfillment of
What could have been a sad story about a young star's career nipped in the bud has become a lesson in human resilience.—
E. M. Smith
E. M. Smith3
: to injure or make numb with cold : chill
The wind was nipping our cheeks.
4
5
: to defeat by a small margin
They nipped our team 61 to 57.
1
: to bite or pinch someone or something lightly
The dog nipped at my ankles.
2
: to harm or numb someone or something with cold
The icy wind nipped at my nose.
3
: to move briskly, nimbly, or quickly
A photographer nipped in and snapped him dead …—Bernard Shaw
Bernard Shaw4
chiefly British
: to make a quick trip
One day during a brief stop, one of them … nipped off the train … to purchase an esoteric label of single-malt Scotch for us that The Royal Scotsman bar didn't stock.—Shirley Slater
Shirley Slater1
: something that nips: such as
a
archaic
: a sharp biting comment
b
: a sharp stinging cold
a nip in the air
c
: a biting or pungent flavor : tang
3
: the region of a squeezing or crushing device (such as a calender) where the rolls or jaws are closest together
4
: a small portion
Examples of nip in a Sentence
Verb (1)
I'm just going to nip these hedges, and then I'll be done with the work outside
the puppy nipped her hand while playing
that guy nipped my wallet from the restaurant table when I turned away
I'll just nip off to the corner store for some milk
Noun (1)
the barbecue sauce has a nip to it that balances out the sweetness
I'll have just a nip of your sandwich
there's a nip in the air today
Recent Examples on the Web
Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2025
Political forecasters give the GOP a better shot in New Jersey, where their nominee, former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, is nipping away at Sherrill's lead in the polls.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 26 Oct. 2025
New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2025
Nihi has 25 of Sumba’s beloved sandalwood horses, released from their stable once a day to run free through the shallows, stopping to roll around in the sand and nip at each other.
—Katie Lockhart, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nip
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Elsewhere, a glass of orange juice propped on the side of an easel seemed to hint at an artist who just nipped out for a break.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2025
Political forecasters give the GOP a better shot in New Jersey, where their nominee, former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, is nipping away at Sherrill's lead in the polls.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 26 Oct. 2025
Noun
The company's own Super Refresh technology is also baked in to nip image ghosting in the bud.
—New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2025
Nihi has 25 of Sumba’s beloved sandalwood horses, released from their stable once a day to run free through the shallows, stopping to roll around in the sand and nip at each other.
—Katie Lockhart, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nip
Video
'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'?
We're gonna stop you right there
Cite this Entry
“Nip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nip. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nip
1 of 3 verb
nipped; nipping
1
: to catch hold of and squeeze tightly between two surfaces, edges, or points
the dog nipped my ankle
2
: to cut off by pinching or clipping
3
: to destroy the growth or progress of
nipped in the bud
4
: to make numb with cold : chill
6
: to move quickly or nimbly
nip
3 of 3 noun
: a small quantity of liquor
takes a nip now and then
Etymology
Verb
Middle English nippen "to nip"
Noun
probably a shortened form of nipperkin "a liquor container"; of unknown origin
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