/nɪp; nɪp/
v (-pp-)
1 (a) [Tn] press (sth) hard (eg between the finger and thumb, or the teeth, or with the claws as a crab does); pinch 捏住, 咬住, 夹住, 掐住（某物）
*A crab nipped my toe while I was paddling. 我　水时脚趾让螃蟹给夹了.
* She nipped her finger in the door, ie between the door and the doorpost. 她的手指给门夹了.
* The dog nipped me in the leg. 那狗咬了我的腿.
(b) [I, Ipr] ~ (at sth) take small bites with the front teeth （用前牙）啃
*That dog nips! 那狗一点儿点儿地啃.
* The dog was nipping at her ankles. 那狗咬着她的脚腕子了.
2 [Tn] (of frost, cold wind, etc) stop the growth of (plants); damage （指霜、寒风等）伤害（植物）, 摧残
*The icy breeze nipped the young blooms. 寒风摧残了初绽的花朵.
3 [Ipr, Ip] (infml 口) move quickly; hurry 快速行动; 赶快行动
*Where did she nip off to? 她急急忙忙到哪儿去了?
* He nipped in (ie got in quickly) just in front of me. 他赶在我前面进来.
* I'll nip on ahead and open the door. 我要赶到前面去开门.
* She has nipped out to the bank. 她急忙去银行了. =>Usage at whiz 用法见whiz.
4 (idm 习语) ,nip and `tuck a situation in which sth is narrowly avoided, or where there is close competition 极难避免的情况; 势均力敌
*The two runners contested the race closely it was nip and tuck all the way. 那两个赛跑选手竞争激烈--在赛程中一直不相上下. nip sth in the bud stop or destroy sth at an early stage in its development 将某事物阻止或消灭于萌芽中
*She wanted to be an actress, but her father soon nipped that idea in the bud. 她想当演员, 但她父亲一知道这个想法就阻止住了.
5 (phr v) nip sth in (in sewing) reduce the width of sth （缝纫）将某物改瘦
*nip the waist in 把腰身改瘦
* nip in the sides of a dress, eg by altering the seams 把连衣裙的两侧改瘦. nip sth off (sth) remove sth by nipping 掐掉某物
*nip the shoots off (a plant) 掐掉花木的幼芽.

n
1 sharp pinch or bite 捏; 箝; 夹; 咬
*The dog gave me a nasty nip on the leg. 那狗在我腿上狠咬了一口.
* a cold nip in the air, ie a feeling of frost 刺骨的寒气.
2 (infml 口) small drink, esp of spirits 少量（尤指烈酒）
*a nip of brandy 少量的白兰地.