Nip

Part of speech: verb, noun

Pronunciation: /nɪp/

Definitions

1. To pinch, squeeze, or bite sharply or briefly ; a small bite or pinch ; a sharp or biting sensation
2. To take or steal something quickly and lightly ; a small amount or portion taken quickly ; a sudden brisk cold or chill
3. To reduce or stop the growth of something by pinching off parts ; a small piece or quantity removed by pinching ; a slight tightening or contraction causing discomfort

Etymology: The verb "nip" traces back to a Germanic word for pinching: Old Saxon "knīpan" and Proto-Germanic "knīpaną" both meant to pinch, and the same root shows up in Dutch "knijpen," German "kneifen," and Old Norse "hnippa" (to prod). The English form arrived in late Middle English as "nippen," most likely from Low German or Dutch, and it kept the sense of a sharp, quick pinch. That physical meaning still drives the verb today, as in a dog nipping at heels or frost nipping at the fingers. The noun has a separate and more surprising ancestry. It is a shortening of "nipperkin," a small drinking measure, which came from Middle Low German or Middle Dutch "nipen," meaning to sip. So a small quantity of strong drink gave us the word for a small pinch, or a small bite, through a sip. The clipped form "nip" for a small quantity of liquor, especially spirits, grew out of that same sipping sense.

Synonyms: bite, pinch, snap, sting, chill

Antonyms: release, let go