nick
/nɪk/ · nick
noun
- A small cut in a surface. The knife left a small nick in the table.
- Something small. The nick in the wall was just large enough for a mouse to fit through.
- Condition or state, often used in the expressions 'in bad nick' and 'in good nick'. The car I bought was cheap and in good nick.
verb
- To make a nick or notch in; to cut or scratch in a minor way. I nicked myself while I was shaving.
- To fit into or suit, as by a correspondence of nicks; to tally with. The two pieces of the puzzle nicked together perfectly.
- To make a cut at the side of the face. The boxer tried to nick his opponent with a quick jab.
Did you know? The word 'nick' has been used in various idiomatic expressions, such as 'in the nick of time', which means just in time or at the last moment. This phrase is thought to have originated from the idea of a nick or notch on a clock face, marking a precise moment in time.