nip
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be nip and tuck
slang To have a very close margin between the competitors in a contest or competition. This race has been nip and tuck, and we won't know who has won until the final vote is counted.
See also: and, nip, tuck
in the nip
Naked. Primarily heard in Ireland. You may love fashion now, but as a kid you wanted nothing to do with clothes and were always running around in the nip!
See also: nip
nip (something) in the bud
To stop, cease, or prevent something at the beginning or early phase, before it becomes too difficult or unmanageable. I've noticed that Tommy's getting in the bad habit of chewing with is mouth open. Let's nip that in the bud. Why don't you nip the issue in the bud before it starts affecting the entire user base?
See also: bud, nip
nip and tuck
1. noun A cosmetic surgery procedure, often (but not always) one performed on the face. Many women consider getting a nip and tuck as they age, but I think my wrinkles make me look distinguished.
2. noun A minor change to improve something, often the appearance of something. The house just needs a little nip and tuck before it is ready to go up for sale.
3. adjective Of a contest or competition, having a very close margin between the competitors. This race has been nip and tuck, and we won't know who has won until the final vote is counted.
4. adverb Very closely competing; head-to-head. The two teams went nip and tuck down to the final seconds of the game.
See also: and, nip, tuck
nip at
1. To give (someone or something) little bites. Their dog kept nipping at my heels whenever I walked through the house. I know some people go crazy for the treatment, but I can't stand the feeling of fish nipping at my feet!
2. To sting (a part of one's body) with cold. The air had just started nipping at our noses by the time we reached the house. There's nothing like settling down in front of a fire with a hot drink after the cold wind has been nipping at your cheeks on a long, satisfying bike ride.
See also: nip
nip in the air
A slight chill. I need to grab my jacket because there's definitely a nip in the air tonight.
See also: air, nip
nip off
1. To very quickly or discreetly depart (to some place), especially for a short length of time. I need to nip off to the store to get some milk—do we need anything else? I think they nipped off to get some more party supplies. They should be back soon.
2. To sever something (from something else) by pinching, cutting, or snipping it. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "nip" and "off." With great charm and grace, he bent down, nipped off a rose from the bush, and presented it to his date. Just let me get my scissors and nip these hairs off that the barber missed.
See also: nip, off
nip on
1. To give (someone or something) little bites. Their dog kept nipping on my heels whenever I walked through the house. I felt some nipping on my toes during the night, and I absolutely freaked out
2. To take small, frequent sips of some drink, especially alcohol. I caught my grandma nipping on a flask, which she tried to pretend had medicine inside of it. He nipped at a bottle of whiskey to help keep warm as he trudged through the snow.
See also: nip, on
nip on (someone's or something's) heels
1. To give someone's or something's heels little ineffectual bites. Their dog kept nipping on my heels whenever I walked through the house. I know some people go crazy for the treatment, but I can't stand the feeling of fish nipping on my heels!
2. By extension, to be very close behind someone or something in rank, score, ability, etc. This underdog team has been nipping on the reigning champions' heels since the very beginning of the match. As technology has improved and become more cost effective, 3D printing has been nipping on the heels of the traditional crafting and manufacturing processes.
See also: heel, nip, on
nip on (someone's or something's) toes
1. To give someone's or something's toes little ineffectual bites. Their dog kept nipping on my toes whenever I walked through the house. I know some people go crazy for the treatment, but I can't stand the feeling of fish nipping on my toes!
2. By extension, to be very close behind someone or something in rank, score, ability, etc. This underdog team has been nipping on the reigning champions' toes since the very beginning of the match. As technology has improved and become more cost effective, 3D printing has been nipping on the toes of the traditional crafting and manufacturing processes.
See also: nip, on, toe
nip slip
slang The exposure of a woman's nipple, usually accidentally. I can't believe I had a nip slip in front of all those people—it was so mortifying! With the way every celebrity nip slip gets plastered all over the Internet these days, I can't afford to not wear undergarments—ever!
See also: nip, slip
nipped
1. Having been cut, trimmed, or bitten. I noticed that the fins on my new cardinal fish were looking nipped, and I'm suspecting that one of the older fish has been attacking him.
2. Trimmed to be smaller, narrow, or shapely. Once the dress is nipped at the waist a bit, it will look stunning on you.
3. Slightly intoxicated from alcohol. I could tell my uncle was a bit nipped when he came into the room.
See also: nip
put in the nips
To beg, borrow, or extort money (from someone). Primarily heard in Australia, Canada. The tax bill is downright robbery, putting in the nips from people's hard-earned wages. My brother puts in the nips whenever he comes around.
See also: nip, put
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
(little) nip in the air
a cold feeling; cold weather. I felt a little nip in the air when I opened the window. There's more of a nip in the air as winter approaches.
See also: air, nip
nip and tuck
Fig. almost even; almost tied. The horses ran nip and tuck for the first half of the race. Then my horse pulled ahead. In the football game last Saturday, both teams were nip and tuck throughout the game.
See also: and, nip, tuck
nip at someone or something
to bite at someone or something. The dog nipped at the visitor, but didn't cause any real harm. A small dog nipped at my heels.
See also: nip
nip something in the bud
Fig. to put an end to something before it develops into something larger. (Alludes to destroying a flower bud before it blooms.) I wanted to nip that little romance in the bud. The whole idea was nipped in the bud.
See also: bud, nip
nip something off (of) something
and nip something offto clip or cut something off something. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) Let me nip a few blossoms off the rosebush. I nipped off a few blossoms and made a bouquet.
See also: nip, off
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
nip and tuck
Very close so that the advantage or lead of competitors keeps shifting, as in It was nip and tuck whether they would deal with the bill before Congress adjourned. The precise allusion in this term has been lost. [Early 1800s] Also see neck and neck.
See also: and, nip, tuck
nip in the bud
Halt something at an early stage, or thoroughly check something. For example, By arresting all the leaders, they nipped the rebellion in the bud. This metaphoric expression, alluding to a spring frost that kills flower buds, was first recorded in a Beaumont and Fletcher play of 1606-1607.
See also: bud, nip
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
nip something in the bud
COMMON
1. If you nip a bad situation or bad behaviour in the bud, you stop it at an early stage. It is important to recognize jealousy as soon as possible and to nip it in the bud before it gets out of hand.
2. If you nip something good in the bud, you stop it before it can develop. The higher prices would fuel inflation and nip the consumer recovery in the bud. Note: This expression may refer to extremely cold weather damaging a plant and stopping it flowering. Alternatively, it may refer to a gardener pruning a plant in bud to prevent it flowering.
See also: bud, nip, something
nip and tuck
INFORMALIn a competition or contest, if it is nip and tuck, it is impossible to say who will win because both sides are performing equally well. It was nip and tuck throughout as the players struck the ball with equal passion. It was nip-and-tuck from start to finish. Note: One explanation for this expression is that it comes from sword-fighting, where a `nip' is a light touch and a `tuck' a heavier blow. Another is that it comes from horse racing, where it means the same as `neck and neck'.
See also: and, nip, tuck
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
in the nip
naked. Irish informalSee also: nip
nip something in the bud
suppress or destroy something at an early stage.This phrase refers to the horticultural practice of pinching out plant buds to prevent the development of shoots or flowers. Nip in this sense was used figuratively in the late 16th century, and nip in the bud in the early 17th century.
See also: bud, nip, something
nip and tuck
very closely contested; neck and neck.The phrase, which emerged in the US in the 19th century, probably came from the field of sewing or tailoring.
2002 Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society The rough and tumble Senate race is generally regarded as nip and tuck, likely to be decided by a close margin
See also: and, nip, tuck
put in the nips
cadge, borrow, or extort money. Australian & New Zealand informalSee also: nip, put
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
nip something in the ˈbud
stop something in its early stages because you think it is dangerous to let it develop: This problem needs to be nipped in the bud before it is too late. I think that the government’s new proposal should be quickly nipped in the bud. OPPOSITE: let something rideSee also: bud, nip, something
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
nip at
v.
1. To grab and pinch or bite: The fish nipped at our feet when we walked in the pond.
2. To bite or sting with the cold: The wind was nipping at our nose.
3. To sip some drink, often alcoholic, in small amounts: They were caught nipping at the whiskey again.
See also: nip
nip on
v.
1. To grab and pinch or bite: The fish nipped on the wader's feet.
2. To sip some drink, often alcoholic, in small amounts: The guests nipped on their eggnog all night long. I nipped on my soda while waiting for my date to show up.
See also: nip, on
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
nip
1. n. a small, quick drink of liquor. Here, have a nip of this stuff.
2. in. to take small drinks of liquor periodically. (see also nipped.) After nipping all day, Fred was pretty well stewed by dinnertime.
3. tv. to steal something. The punk kid nipped two candy bars from the drugstore.
nip and tuck
mod. so close as to be almost the same; neck and neck. They ran nip and tuck all the way to the finish line, but Tom won the race.
See also: and, nip, tuck
nipped
mod. alcohol intoxicated. (see also nip.) All four of them went out and got nipped.
See also: nip
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
nip and tuck
A very close contest. The ultimate source of this phrase has been lost, but it appears to have originated in nineteenth-century America. An early example is, “It will be like the old bitch and the rabbit, nip and tack [sic] every jump” (Quarter Race in Kentucky, 1836). It is used in the same way as neck and neck.
See also: and, nip, tuck
nip in the bud, to
To stop something before it can develop further. This analogy to an early spring frost that kills off flower buds dates from the sixteenth century. Sir Boyle Roche (1743–1807), a member of Parliament, was quoted in this memorable mixed metaphor: “Mr. Speaker, I smell a rat; I see him forming in the air and darkening the sky; but I’ll nip him in the bud.”
See also: nip
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- be nip and tuck
- tuck
- nip and tuck
- off the pace
- nip in the air
- open up a/(one's) lead
- neck and neck
- take second place
- anyone's/anybody's call
- bragging rights