Nim

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /nɪm/

Definitions

1. A game where participants take objects from piles, requiring strategy
2. A mathematical game for two players where taking turns removing items from heaps involves strategic planning
3. A competitive activity with players alternately taking objects from several groups aiming for a successful end move

Etymology: The game "nim" is a counting contest in which two players take turns removing objects from several piles, and whoever takes the last object wins, or loses, depending on the version. Its name is a different matter from its rules: the word is a verb meaning "to take," and the game is named for that action of taking things away. That verb is old and Germanic. Its relatives across the North Sea are still in use today, including Dutch "nemen," German "nehmen," and West Frisian "nimme," all meaning "to take." English shares this family, which also gives us "nimble," from the sense of quick-handed grabbing, and "numb," which comes from an older meaning of being seized or stupefied.

Synonyms: quick, agile, lithe, graceful

Antonyms: clumsy, awkward, slow