i Register
In some senses, nipper is marked as informal, British, historical. Watch for register when choosing this word.
nipper
/ˈnɪpə(ɹ)/
noun 5verb 1name 1
Collocations
1ADJ.
smart
Definitions
noun
1
One who, or that which, nips.
Watt saw the little movements of the stuff, the little bulgings and crumplings, and the sudden indrawings, where it was nipped, between forefinger and thumb probably, for those are the nippers.
2
Any of various devices (as pincers) for nipping.
3
A child.
Heard what I was saying, and nipped off to the patrols the very next day. Pretty smart for a nipper of seven, eh?
No, this is not a creche: nippers should not be running around, fighting under the pool table or generally creating havoc (this applies to dogs, too).
4
A child aged from 5 to 13 in the Australian surf life-saving clubs.
2003 Some Like It Hot: The Beach As a Cultural Dimension SLSA has become a multi-million dollar enterprise comprising 262 clubs located around the Australian coastline, with 100000 members, which included thousands of juniors or 'nippers', as they were more commonly known.
It is the first day of training for a group of ten 'little nippers' (novice surf life-savers). An assortment of children expectantly hover in the clubhouse.
5
A boy working as a navvies' assistant.
verb
1
To seize (two ropes) together.
name
1
A surname.
Thesaurus
Idioms & Phrases
Example Bank
301
Watt saw the little movements of the stuff, the little bulgings and crumplings, and the sudden indrawings, where it was nipped, between forefinger and thumb probably, for those are the nippers.
Wiktionary02
Heard what I was saying, and nipped off to the patrols the very next day. Pretty smart for a nipper of seven, eh?
Wiktionary03
No, this is not a creche: nippers should not be running around, fighting under the pool table or generally creating havoc (this applies to dogs, too).
WiktionaryUsage Notes
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