\Nip\, n. [LG. & D. nippen to sip; akin to Dan. nippe, G.
nippen.]
A sip or small draught; esp., a draught of intoxicating
liquor; a dram.

\Nip\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Nipped}, less properly {Nipt};
p. pr. & vb. n. {Nipping}.] [OE. nipen; cf. D. niipen to
pinch, also knippen to nip, clip, pinch, snap, knijpen to
pinch, LG. knipen, G. kneipen, kneifen, to pinch, cut off,
nip, Lith. knebti.]
1. To catch and inclose or compress tightly between two
   surfaces, or points which are brought together or closed;
   to pinch; to close in upon.
         May this hard earth cleave to the Nadir hell, Down,
         down, and close again, and nip me flat, If I be such
         a traitress.                          --Tennyson.
2. To remove by pinching, biting, or cutting with two meeting
   edges of anything; to clip.
         The small shoots . . . must be nipped off.
                                               --Mortimer.
3. Hence: To blast, as by frost; to check the growth or vigor
   of; to destroy.
4. To vex or pain, as by nipping; hence, to taunt.
         And sharp remorse his heart did prick and nip.
                                               --Spenser.
{To nip in the bud}, to cut off at the verycommencement of
   growth; to kill in the incipient stage.

\Nip\, n.
1. A seizing or closing in upon; a pinching; as, in the
   northern seas, the nip of masses of ice.
2. A pinch with the nails or teeth.
3. A small cut, or a cutting off the end.
4. A blast; a killing of the ends of plants by frost.
5. A biting sarcasm; a taunt. --Latimer.
6. (Naut.) A short turn in a rope.
{Nip and tuck}, a phrase signifying equality in a contest.
   [Low, U.S.]