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# nippy

adjective (nippy, nippier, nippiest)

«nippy» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (informal, UK and Australia) Nippy means cold, especially with a sharp, biting chill: a nippy morning. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nippy/#m1)
2. (informal) Nippy means quick and lively, able to move fast: a nippy little car. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nippy/#m2)
3. (rare) Nippy describes a dog likely to nip or bite. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nippy/#m3)

### In the lessons

In everyday British and Australian talk «It's a bit nippy out» means it is cold, so take a coat. In sport a nippy winger is fast and hard to catch. Phrases: «a bit nippy», «nippy little car», «nippy winger».

### Examples

- Wrap up warm, it's a bit nippy this morning. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nippy/#x1)
- The wind was nippy on the beach. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nippy/#x2)
- Our new car is small and nippy in traffic. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nippy/#x3)
- She's a nippy little player who dodges every tackle. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nippy/#x4)
- That terrier can be nippy with strangers. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nippy/#x5)
- It gets nippy at night in the desert. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nippy/#x6)
- “You’re so nippy at it,” John said, “couldn’t you do it very slowly once?” [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nippy/#x7)

### Note

Informal, friendly word. Comparatives «nippier», «nippiest». From «nip» (a small bite, or a sharp chill). «Nippy» means fairly cold, not freezing.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «nippy» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nippy/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«nippy» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/nippy.html) on Mova free.