nippy en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˈnɪpi/
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
Etymology tree English nip Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English nippy From nip + -y.
Meanings
-
(UK, informal) Fast; speedy.
Small, nippy and ever present in the England set-up, the Fulham winger [Rachel Yankey] is one of the the^([sic]) most recognisable faces in the game.
2011, “Women's football”, in The Guardian:A Rolls Royce will not do if you need an economical, nippy car that is easy to park.
c. 2000, Melanie Allen, Customer Relations Management, page 6:The jaunty 1969 crime caper about the cockney casanova of crime who pulls off a bullion heist in Turin during an England versus Italy football match using three nippy Mini Coopers—red, white and blue—speaks of a forgotten age in England[…].
1999 September 10, Peter Bradshaw, “The Italian Job”, in The Guardian:
-
(informal) Rather cold.
Raj took a deep breath, and reached out to give Armitage the gentlest little stroke. “It’s nippy out. Let’s take him inside.”
2012, David Walliams [pseudonym; David Edward Williams], Ratburger, London: HarperCollins Children’s Books, →ISBN:Hertfordshire: On a nippy day in our local wood, we found a field mouse. It was a mouse with a plan[.]
2023 February 18, Anoushka, “Young country diary: I found a little criminal”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:Gosh, it's a bit nippy today: I'd better wear my gloves.
-
Inclined to nip; bitey.
Spoiling may create a pushy, nippy dog that lacks confidence.
1995, Nancy Baer, Choosing a Dog: A Guide to Picking the Perfect Breed, page 161:
- (Scotland, informal) Annoying; irritating.
- (Scotland) Sharp in taste.
- (Scotland) Spicy tasting.
- (Scotland) Curt.
- (Scotland) Parsimonious.
- (slang) The quality of being made of nips.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| nippiest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| nippier | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Translations (13)
bg остър (rather cold (of weather)) · ko 쌀쌀하다 (rather cold (of weather)) · ru моро́зный (rather cold (of weather)) · cs čerstvý (rather cold (of weather)) · de frostig (rather cold (of weather)) · de frisch (rather cold (of weather)) · sv småkylig (rather cold (of weather)) · fr frisquet (rather cold (of weather)) · bg щипещ (rather cold (of weather)) · cs mrazivý (rather cold (of weather)) · de kühl (rather cold (of weather)) · cs chladný (rather cold (of weather)) · ru зябкий (rather cold (of weather))