[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/nibble.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / nibble

[← N](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/N/)

# nibble

«nibble» in Mova's school dictionary: **To eat something by taking very small bites** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 3 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

verb (nibble, nibbles, nibbled, nibbling); noun (a nibble; nibbles)

### meaning for a pupil

1) To eat something by taking very small bites. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nibble/#m1)

2) Of animals or fish: to bite gently: «A fish nibbled my toe». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nibble/#m2)

3) (noun) A small bite: «take a nibble». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nibble/#m3)

4) (nibbles, UK informal) Small snacks at a party, like crisps and nuts. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nibble/#m4)

5) Nibble can also be a fond pet name for someone you love, as in "my nibble darling". [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nibble/#m5)

### sense in the lessons

In stories and science lessons about animals: mice, rabbits and hamsters nibble with their sharp front teeth (rodent teeth keep growing). In fishing: «a nibble on the line». In everyday life and party talk: «nibbles and drinks».

### examples

- The mouse nibbled the cheese. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nibble/#x1)
- My rabbit nibbles carrots all day. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nibble/#x2)
- She nibbled her biscuit slowly. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nibble/#x3)
- I felt a fish nibble my toe in the sea. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nibble/#x4)
- Can I have a nibble of your chocolate? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nibble/#x5)
- Mum put out some nibbles for the guests. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nibble/#x6)
- The caterpillar nibbled holes in the leaf. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nibble/#x7)
- "Come to me, my nibble darling!" said he. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nibble/#x8)

### note

Regular verb: nibbled. Double «b». «Nibble» is a small, slow bite; «gulp» and «gobble» are big and fast. «Nibbles» (UK) = party snacks.

### In the corpora

- [Many dogs nibble grass and it is usually normal; scientists are not fully sure why, and wolves eat some plants too.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/193-how-a-dog-thinks-smells-sounds-and-faces/19/)
- [Rats are cautious with new food: they nibble a little and wait to see whether they feel ill.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/222-rats-and-mice-in-the-city-and-the-elephant-and-mouse-myth/10/)
- [Earlier, Alice nibbles a mushroom to grow and shrink and talks with a hookah-smoking Caterpillar.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/402-wonderland-sea-creatures-and-made-up-ones-lobster-whiting-turtle-mock-turtle-gryphon/4/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «nibble» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nibble/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.