nick

¹

[ nik ]

noun

1. a small notch, groove, chip, or the like, cut into or existing in something.
2. a hollow place produced in an edge or surface, as of a dish, by breaking, chipping, or the like:

   I didn't notice those tiny nicks in the vase when I bought it.

3. a small dent or wound.
4. a small groove on one side of the shank of a printing type, serving as a guide in setting or to distinguish different types.
5. Biochemistry. a break in one strand of a double-stranded DNA or RNA molecule.
6. British Slang. prison.

verb (used with object)

1. to cut into or through:

   I nicked my chin while shaving.

2. to hit or injure slightly.
3. to make a nick or nicks in (something); notch, groove, or chip.
4. to record by means of a notch or notches.
5. to incise certain tendons at the root of (a horse's tail) to give it a higher carrying position; make an incision under the tail of (a horse).
6. to hit, guess, catch, etc., exactly.
7. Slang. to trick, cheat, or defraud:

   How much did they nick you for that suit?

8. British Slang.
   1. to arrest (a criminal or suspect).
   2. to capture; nab.
   3. to steal:

      Someone nicked her pocketbook on the bus.

Nick

²

[ nik ]

noun

1. Old Nick.
2. a male given name, form of Nicholas.

nick

¹

/ nɪk /

noun

1. computing an alias adopted by a member of a chatroom or forum; nickname

nick

²

/ nɪk /

noun

1. a small notch or indentation on an edge or surface
2. a groove on the shank of a printing type, used to orientate type and often to distinguish the fount
3. a slang word for prison police station
4. in good nick informal.
   in good condition
5. in the nick of time
   at the last possible moment; at the critical moment

verb

1. tr to chip or cut
2. slang.
   tr
   1. to steal
   2. to take into legal custody; arrest
3. informal.
   introften foll byoff to move or depart rapidly
4. to divide and reset (certain of the tail muscles of a horse) to give the tail a high carriage
5. tr to guess, catch, etc, exactly
6. intr (of breeding stock) to mate satisfactorily
7. nick someone for slang.
   to defraud someone to the extent of

Other Words From

• un·nicked adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of nick¹

1475–85; obscurely akin to Old English gehnycned wrinkled, Old Norse hnykla to wrinkle

Word History and Origins

Origin of nick¹

short for nickname

Origin of nick²

C15: perhaps changed from C14 nocke nock

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in the nick of time, at the right or vital moment, usually at the last possible moment:

   The fire engines arrived in the nick of time.

More idioms and phrases containing nick

see in the nick of time .

Example Sentences

But, speaking to BBC Radio 4's Political Thinking with Nick Robinson, he said he was "deeply troubled by the situation we appear to be heading towards".

From BBC

NPA chairman Nick Kaye said the ballot result "overwhelmingly shows the sheer anger and frustration of pharmacy owners at a decade of cuts that is forcing dedicated health professionals to shut their doors for good".

From BBC

Simmons provides the biceps as the St. Nick in question, a buff Father Christmas.

From Los Angeles Times

Nick Jones, an equity research analyst at Citizens JMP, said Grindr is outpacing investor expectations and is not alone in requiring employees to return to in-person work.

From Los Angeles Times

Or do you recognize it as part of your vulnerability, a little nick at your ego?

From Los Angeles Times