nip1
¦ verb (nips, nipping, nipped)
1. pinch, squeeze, or bite sharply.
(nip something off) remove something by pinching or squeezing sharply.
2. (of the cold or frost) cause pain or harm to.
3. Brit. informal go quickly.
4. US informal steal or snatch.
¦ noun
1. an act of nipping.
2. a feeling of biting cold.
Phrases
nip something in the bud suppress or destroy something at an early stage.
Origin
ME: prob. of Low Ger. or Du. origin.
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nip2
¦ noun a small quantity or sip of spirits.
¦ verb (nips, nipping, nipped) take a sip of spirits.
Origin
C18: prob. an abbrev. of the rare term nipperkin 'small measure'.