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 off
to 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

INFORMAL
In 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 informal
See 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 informal
See 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 ride
See 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
See also:
  • 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
References in periodicals archive
Even if a company gets NoC from NIP today, it will take a minimum of 10 months to get power and gas connections from K-Electric and Sui Southern Gas Company respectively.
Meanwhile, NIP CEO Iqbal Tabish told The Express Tribune that NIP has now fast-tracked work to address 'serious concerns' of the companies.
They said the NIP CEO was involved in illegal allotment of industrial plots in NIP, which was causing losses due to which the board had forwarded a recommendation for his removal from the post.
Folklore Nip Nebs lead kids on a tour, main picture and inset On the web (old style) Children gather at a model of a spider's trap.
The overall roll-stand assembly needs to operate while maintaining a precise nip gap under heavy loads that are applied to polish thin-gauge sheet.
CHEEKY Z GIRLS Some of the women who bared all for Dip In The Nip in Dublin yesterday
The binding capacity (Q) is defined as mg of substrate bound per 1 g microspheres (MIP or NIP), and calculated by the change of CAP concentration after and before adsorption by Eq.
I had a goal in mind when I got Nip and Tuck, I wanted to use them to farm with, but I wasn't sure how to accomplish that.
In his new role, Poynter will replace Lord Marshall of Knightsbridge, who has acted as chairman of NIP since October 2004, and NEHS since May 2009.
Foulkes continued: "It is vital that we get this right - NIP 2 must not be a long list of possible publicly funded infrastructure projects stretching into the far future or a cross-Whitehall compendium of initiatives.
Deformations caused by improper nip width are reduced.
PESHAWAR, June 23 -- Ministry of Youth Affairs (MoYA) under National Internship programme (NIP) has completed induction of interns for five batches while the application will be invited for 6th batch from July.
* accepting or feeding the stock in whatever form it is being delivered to the calender--distributing it over the width of the nip and delivering it to the pressure area ahead of the roll nip;
Odell Brewing of Fort Collins, Colorado has announced the release of 1200 bottles of Curmudgeon's Nip. The Nip is exclusively available at the Odell Brewing Tasting Room and local Ft.
NIP is expected to move in early fall, says Barry Zeller, senior director, Cushman & Wakefield, the building's managing and leasing agent.