May this hard earth cleave to the Nadir hell, Down,
down, and close again, and nip me flat, If I be such
a traitress. --Tennyson.
2. To remove by pinching, biting, or cutting with two meeting
edges of anything; to clip.
The small shoots . . . must be nipped off.
--Mortimer.
3. Hence: To blast, as by frost; to check the growth or vigor
of; to destroy.
4. To vex or pain, as by nipping; hence, to taunt.
And sharp remorse his heart did prick and nip.
--Spenser.
{To nip in the bud}, to cut off at the verycommencement of
growth; to kill in the incipient stage.