To nip means to pinch or bite quickly with something sharp. A crab might nip your toe at the beach with its claw. A puppy learning to play might accidentally nip your finger with its tiny teeth. These are quick, sharp pinches that might surprise you but usually don't cause serious harm.

You might also nip something off with scissors or clippers, like nipping dead flowers from a plant or nipping a loose thread from your shirt. The word suggests a small, precise cut.

When weather gets cold enough to nip at your nose or fingers, it means the cold feels sharp and biting. People sometimes say there's a nip in the air when it's chilly.

The phrase “nip something in the bud” means stopping a problem when it first appears, before it grows bigger. If you notice classmates starting to argue about teams for recess, a teacher might nip the conflict in the bud by suggesting a fair way to choose sides. When you nip a problem in the bud, you're stopping it early, while it's still small and manageable.