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# nip

«nip» in Mova's school dictionary: **To give a small, quick bite or pinch: «The puppy nipped…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 4 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

verb (nip, nips, nipped, nipping); noun (a nip, nips)

### meaning for a pupil

1) To give a small, quick bite or pinch: «The puppy nipped my finger». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nip/#m1)

2) (UK, Ireland, Australia, informal) To go somewhere quickly for a short time: «I'll nip to the shop». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nip/#m2)

3) (noun) A small bite or pinch. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nip/#m3)

4) (noun) A feeling of cold: «a nip in the air». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nip/#m4)

5) A small amount of a strong drink. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nip/#m5)

### sense in the lessons

In everyday British talk «nip out», «nip to the shops», «nip upstairs» mean to go quickly. In pet safety: puppies nip when playing; teach them gently. In weather: «There's a nip in the air» means it is getting cold, often in autumn. Phrase: «nip it in the bud» = stop a problem early. «Nip and tuck» = very close in a race.

### examples

- The crab nipped my toe! [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nip/#x1)
- Our puppy nips when he gets excited. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nip/#x2)
- I'll just nip to the shop for some milk. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nip/#x3)
- There's a nip in the air this morning. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nip/#x4)
- Can you nip upstairs and get my glasses? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nip/#x5)
- The teacher nipped the argument in the bud. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nip/#x6)
- The race was nip and tuck right to the end. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nip/#x7)

### note

Double «p» before -ed/-ing: nipped, nipping. «Nip» is smaller and lighter than «bite». «Nip out» meaning «go quickly» is British and Australian; Americans say «run out» or «pop out».

### In the corpora

- [Before passing a story on, check it: a small nip can become a horror story in three tellings.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/41-our-street-who-parked-where-and-who-won-what/28/)
- [Grandad's sheepdog Bess nips Chloe's heels, herding her like a lost lamb, until Grandad whistles her off.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/457-the-cat-that-only-likes-dad-and-other-choosy-pets/13/)
- [Herding dogs like sheepdogs may nip at running children's heels from instinct; the owner should call the dog off.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/457-the-cat-that-only-likes-dad-and-other-choosy-pets/28/)
- [«Watch the twins while I nip to the shop,» says Mum.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/502-minding-the-little-ones-youre-the-oldest/2/)

### Trees and pragmatics

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