Etymology From late Middle English nippen, probably of Low German or Dutch origin, probably a byform of earlier *knippen (suggested by the derivative Middle English knippette (“pincers”)), from Middle Low German knîpen, from Old Saxon *knīpan, from Proto-West Germanic *knīpan, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *knīpaną (“to pinch”). Related to Dutch nijpen, knijpen (“to pinch”), Danish nive (“pinch”); Swedish nypa (“pinch”); Low German knipen; German kneipen and kneifen (“to pinch, cut off, nip”), Old Norse hnippa (“to prod, poke”); Lithuanian knebti.
To catch and enclose 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 nip me flat, If I be such a traitress.1859, Alfred Tennyson, Idylls of the King, Merlin and Vivien:
2
To remove by pinching, biting, or cutting with two meeting edges of anything; to clip.
The small shoots ... must be nipt off.1716, John Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry:
3
To benumb [e.g., cheeks, fingers, nose] by severe cold.
4
To blast, as by frost; to check the growth or vigor of; to destroy.
5
To annoy, as by nipping.
And sharp remorse his heart did prick and nip.1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene:
Ben mort, shall you and I heave a bough, mill a ken, or nip a bung, and then we'll couch a hogshead under the ruffmans, and there you shall wap with me, and I'll niggle with you.1611, Thomas Middleton, “The Roaring Girl”, in Arthur Henry Bullen, editor, The Works of Thomas Middleton, volume 4, published 1885, act 5, scene 1, pages 128–129:
The twelfth is a beau-trap, if a cull he does meet, / He nips all his cole, and turns him into the street.1712, J. Shirley, “The Black Procession”, in Farmer, John Stephen, editor, Musa Pedestris, verse 4, published 1896, page 38:
1 more example
"I tell you he's after me," hissed Cripps. "For nipping Antonio's fruit?" demanded Limpet, astonished into a normal attitude on both feet.1913, Norman Lindsay, A Curate in Bohemia, Sydney: N.S.W. Bookstall Co., published 1932, page 160:
9
Obsolete To affect [one] painfully; to cause physical pain.'
He had never expected to fling the soldier, or to be flung by Flea. “One nips or is nipped,” he thought, “and never knows beforehand. …"1907, E.M. Forster, The Longest Journey, Part I, XII [Uniform ed., p. 136]
CHUNGKING, Oct. 10—Chinese counterblows against the Japanese offensive in south China have reeled the Nips back from two towns in the approaches to Kweilin, capital city of Kwangsi Province, today’s Chinese High Command communique announced.1944 October 11, “Sino Counterblows Send Nips Reeling”, in The Stars and Stripes Mediterranean, Italy, →OCLC, page 1:
Synonyms
Jap
Nip
adj
Etymology Clipping of Nipponese, derived from Nippon, from Japanese 日本 (Nippon).
Etymology From late Middle English nippen, probably of Low German or Dutch origin, probably a byform of earlier *knippen (suggested by the derivative Middle English knippette (“pincers”)), from Middle Low German knîpen, from Old Saxon *knīpan, from Proto-West Germanic *knīpan, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *knīpaną (“to pinch”). Related to Dutch nijpen, knijpen (“to pinch”), Danish nive (“pinch”); Swedish nypa (“pinch”); Low German knipen; German kneipen and kneifen (“to pinch, cut off, nip”), Old Norse hnippa (“to prod, poke”); Lithuanian knebti.
The day had only just broken, and there was a nip in the air; but the sky was cloudless, and the sun was shining yellow.1915, W.S. Maugham, Of Human Bondage, chapter 118:
4
A seizing or closing in upon; a pinching
the nip of masses of ice
5
A small cut, or a cutting off the end.
6
Business, Mining A more or less gradual thinning out of a stratum.
7
A blast; a killing of the ends of plants by frost.
A novice nip, newly arrived in London, went one afternoon to the Red Bull in Bishopsgate, an inn converted to a playhouse.1977, Gãmini Salgãdo, The Elizabethan Underworld, Folio Society, published 2006, page 27:
Etymology Short for nipperkin, ultimately from Middle Low German nippen or Middle Dutch nipen ("to sip; nip"; > Dutch nippen). Compare also German nippen (“to sip; taste”).
1
A small amount of food or drink, (particularly) a small amount of liquor.
Informal To make a quick, short journey or errand, usually a round trip.
Why don’t you nip down to the grocer’s for some milk?
My trip ends at Wrexham General. While the '150' trundles the final half-mile down the single line to Wrexham Central, I nip over the footbridge to explore the main part of the station.2022 November 2, Paul Bigland, “New trains, old trains, and splendid scenery”, in RAIL, number 969, page 58:
1 more example
Palace made it 3-1 on 81 minutes, Nketiah nipping in to finish nicely, then doing a no-celebration pose in front of the away fans. Nketiah grew up a couple of miles from the Den. It felt, at the very least, like a neighbourly overture, and in violent contrast to the opening act at the other end.2025 January 3, Barney Ronay, “Crystal Palace through after Millwall keeper’s red for head-high tackle on Mateta”, in The Guardian:
nip
noun
Etymology Clipping of nipple.
1
In plural, Slang, Vulgar A nipple, usually of a woman.
Did you manage to sneak a peek at her nips, bro?
I find bras totally uncomfortable, hot and itchy, for both work and leisure. But looking around, I seem to be in the minority. What are the rules for going braless? Is it OK to show my nips, or is it rude?2023 August 28, Vanessa Friedman, quoting Eddye, Madison, Wis., “Are There Any Rules About Going Braless?”, in The New York Times, →ISSN: