nibble
Syllables: nib·ble/ˈnɪbl̩/US/ˈnɪb(ə)l/
nibble verb: to take a small, quick bite, or several of such bites, of (something).
Verb
nibble (third-person singular simple present nibbles, present participle nibbling, simple past and past participle nibbled)
- To take a small, quick bite, or several of such bites, of (something).
- The rabbit nibbled the lettuce.
- His little Goats gan driue out of their ſtalls, / To feede abroad, vvhere paſture beſt befalls. / […] / Some clambring through the hollovv cliffes on hy, / Nibble the buſhie ſhrubs, vvhich grovve thereby.1591, Ed[mund] Sp[enser], “Virgils Gnat”, in Complaints. Containing Sundrie Small Poemes of the Worlds Vanitie. […], London: […] William Ponsonbie, […], →OCLC, signature H2, verso
- Synonyms:
- nab
- To lightly bite (a person or animal, or part of their body), especially in a loving or playful manner; to nip.
- My hand, as it hangs down, thou nibblest tenderly, […]1837, Alphonse de Lamartine, “Ninth Epoch”, in F[rances] H[enrietta] Jobert, transl., Jocelyn: An Episode […], Paris: Baudry, […], →OCLC, page 350
- Social animals perform many little services for each other: horses nibble, and cows lick each other, on any spot which itches: […]1871, Charles Darwin, “Comparison of the Mental Powers of Man and the Lower Animals—continued”, in The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. […], volume I, London: John Murray, […]...
- To make (a hole in something) through small bites.
- To make (one's way) through or while taking small bites.
- Before he realized it, he had nibbled his way through a whole bag of potato chips.
- The cows nibbled their way across the field.
- Chiefly followed by into or to: to cause (something) to be in a certain state through small bites.
- The bases of the smaller trees were nibbled bare by rabbits, […]1886 May – 1887 April, Thomas Hardy, chapter VII, in The Woodlanders […], volume I, London; New York, N.Y.: Macmillan and Co., published 1887, →OCLC, page 129
- The grass had been nibbled short and even, so this stretch was not shaggy and red like the surrounding country, but gray and velvety.1918 September, Willa Sibert Cather, chapter VII, in My Ántonia, Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Houghton Mifflin Company […], →OCLC, book I (The Shimerdas), page 49
- Followed by away, off, etc.: to remove (something) through small bites.
- The ravviſh danke of clumzie vvinter ramps / The fluent ſummers vaine: and drizling ſleete / Chilleth the vvan bleak cheek of the numd earth, / VVhilſt ſnarling guſts nibble the iuyceles leaues, / From the nak't ſhuddring branch; […]1600 or 1601 (date written), I. M. [i.e., John Marston], “The Prologue”, in Antonios Reuenge. The Second Part. […], London: […] [Richard Bradock] for Thomas Fisher, and are to be soulde [by Matthew...
- Am I reiected, all my baites nibled off, / And not the fiſh caught?c. 1614–1617 (date written), Thomas Middleton, William Rowley, A Faire Quarrell. […], London: […] [George Eld] for I[ohn] T[rundle] and are to bee sold [by Edward Wright] […], published 1617, →OCLC...
- To fidget or play with (something), especially with the fingers or hands.
- Ellen stood dumb and motionless, looking steadfastly down at the hem of her green jerkin, which she was nibbling with both her hands.1827 August, James Hogg, “The Laird of Cassway”, in The Shepherd’s Calendar. […], volume I, Edinburgh: William Blackwood; London: T[homas] Cadell, published 1829, →OCLC, page 185
- To catch (someone); to nab.
- [T]he Roague has ſpied me novv, hee nibled me finely once too; […]c. 1604–1606 (date written), [Thomas Middleton], A Trick to Catch the Old-one. […], London: […] George Eld, […], published 1608, →OCLC, Act I, signature B3, verso
- To steal (something); to pilfer.
- Chiefly followed by at, away, or on: to take a small, quick bite, or several of such bites; to eat (at frequent intervals) with small, quick bites.
- The rabbit nibbled at the lettuce.
- What deepe and rare pointes of hiddẽ [hidden] secrets Virgil hathe sealde vp in hys twelue bookes of Aeneis, maye easily appeare to such reaching wits, as bend their endeuours, to the vnfolding thereof; not only by gnibling vpon the outwarde rine of a supposed historie, but also by groaping the...1582, Richard Stanyhurst, “To the Right Honourable My Very Loving Brother the Lorde Baron of Dunsanye”, in Virgil, translated by Richard Stanyhurst, The First Foure Bookes of Virgils Æneis, […]...
- To lightly bite, especially in a loving or playful manner.
- He nibbled at my neck and made me shiver.
- Chiefly followed by at: to show slight interest in something, such as a commercial opportunity or a proposal.
- [W]hy mouſe, thy minde is nibbling at ſomething, vvhats iſt, vvhat lyes vpon thy Stomach?c. 1607–1610 (date written), Thomas Middleton; Thomas Dekker, The Roaring Girle. Or Moll Cut-purse. […], London: […] [Nicholas Okes] for Thomas Archer, […], published 1611, →OCLC, [Act III]...
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- Followed by away at: to reduce or use up gradually; to eat.
- A report out this week from the National Consumer Law Center lays out a host of ways in which banks nibble away at jobless benefits with fees the center called "junk."2011 May 11, Ann Carrns, “Prepaid cards subject jobless to host of fees”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 05 Oct 2019
- Followed by at: of a batter: to make an indecisive attempt to bat a ball bowled outside the off stump.
- Synonym of tramline (“of a vehicle: to tend to follow the contours of the ground with its wheels”).
- Synonyms:
- tramline
- To fidget or play, especially with the fingers or hands.
- [S]he was with childe in hir huſbande his abſence, or that hir louer vſed hir fondly in open preſence, as the preſumption was not onely vehement, but alſo the fact too too apparent. Hir vnfortunat huſband had not ſooner notice gyuen him vpon his returne of theſe ſorowfull newes, then his fingers...1577, Richard Stanyhurst [i.e., Richard Stanihurst], “[The Historie of Irelande […].] A Treatise Contayning a Playne and Perfect Description of Irelande, […].”, in Raphaell Holinshed, The Firste...
- Chiefly followed by at: to make insignificant complaints; to carp, to cavil, to find fault.
- Nay more, have not some of their devoted Schollers begun, I need to saw to nibble, but openly to argue against the Kings Supremacie?1641 May, John Milton, “The Second Book”, in Of Reformation Touching Church-Discipline in England: And the Causes that hitherto have Hindred it. […], [London]: […] Thomas Vnderhill, →OCLC...
- But hovvever he vvill nibble at ſome Paſſages of this Section, to ſhevv his ovvn great VVit; though he borrovvs another Man's great reading.1699, Richard Bentley, “A Dissertation upon the Epistles of Phalaris”, in A Dissertation upon the Epistles of Phalaris. With an Answer to the Objections of the Honourable Charles Boyle, Esquire...
- Synonyms:
- niggle
- To engage in sexual intercourse.
- Hart I vvould giue but too much money to be nibling vvith that vvench, […]c. 1607–1610 (date written), Thomas Middleton; Thomas Dekker, The Roaring Girle. Or Moll Cut-purse. […], London: […] [Nicholas Okes] for Thomas Archer, […], published 1611, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]...
- Sec[retary to the Dutchess]. […] A ſpirited Lady, vvould I had her in my cloſet, […] Exit. / Cel[inda]. I do ſuſpect this fellovv vvould be nibling / Like ſome vvhoſe narrovv fortunes vvill not riſe / To vvear things vvhen the inventions rare, and nevv, / But treading on the heel of pride, they...1641 December 5 (date licensed; Gregorian calendar), James Shirley, The Cardinal, a Tragedie, […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson […], and Humphrey Moseley […], published 1652, →OCLC, Act IV, page 39
- Synonyms:
- niggle
Noun (1)
nibble (plural nibbles)
- An act of taking a small, quick bite, or several of such bites, especially with the front teeth; the bite or bites so taken.
- [H]e would sit on a wet rock, with a rod as long and heavy as a Tartar's lance, and fish all day without a murmur, even though he should not be encouraged by a single nibble.1819 June 23, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “Rip Van Winkle”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., number I, New York, N.Y.: […] C[ornelius] S. Van Winkle, […], →OCLC, page...
- A light bite of a person or animal, or part of their body, especially one which is loving or playful; a nip.
- An amount of food that is or can be taken into the mouth through a small bite; a small mouthful.
- Yo'r sheep will be a' folded, a reckon, Measter Pratt, for there'll ne'er be a nibble o' grass to be seen this two month, according to my reading; […]1863, [Elizabeth] Gaskell, “New Year’s Fête”, in Sylvia’s Lovers. […], volume I, London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], →OCLC, page 268
- A slight show of interest in something, such as a commercial opportunity or a proposal.
- Grass or other vegetation eaten by livestock; forage, pasturage.
- On the northern slopes of the light-earthed hills the moss had come over the herbage, and the sweet nibble of the sheep was souring.1875, Richard Doddridge Blackmore, “Going Up the Tree”, in Alice Lorraine. A Tale of the South Downs. […], volume III, London: Sampson Low, Marston, Low, & Searle, […], →OCLC, page 67
Noun (2)
nibble (plural nibbles)
- A unit of memory equal to half a byte, or chiefly four bits.
- I own several abaci and two books on how to use them, but they all have four counters below the bar and one counter above it. […] The bottom four counters of each abacus can be used to represent a "nybble," and the upper counter on each can be used for parity.1978 May 22, William B. Adams, “Letters to the Editor: Query on Abacus”, in E. Drake Lundell Jr., editor, Computerworld: The Newsweekly for the Computer Community, volume XII, number 21, Newton...
- At every negative-going transition it reads a 4-bit ADPCM nybble (there are 2 nybbles per byte) and stores it in a memory-resident table.1983 June, Steve Ciarcia, “Ciarcia’s Circuit Cellar: Use ADPCM for Highly Intelligible Speech Synthesis”, in Lawrence J. Curran, editor, Byte: The Small Systems Journal, volume 8, number 6...
nibble meaning in Tamil, Urdu, Bengali and Malayalam
nibble in Tamil
- பல்லால் கொறி, துருவு, நன்னு, சிறுகச் சாப்பிடு, கத்தரி, நிண்டு
nibble in Urdu
- کاٹنا, کھٹکنا, کتر کے کھانا, کترنا
nibble in Bengali
- ঠোকরানো, খোঁটা, খুঁটে খাওয়া, ঠোকর
nibble in Malayalam
- കഷണങ്ങളായി കടിച്ചെടുക്കുക, അല്പാല്പമായി തിന്നുക, നിസ്സാര ആക്ഷേപങ്ങൾ പുറപ്പെടുവിക്കുക
More languagesFewer languages
- nibble in Kannada
- ಕುರುಂಕು, ಕುರುಕು, ಕುರಿಕು, ಕೊರಕು
- nibble in Arabic
- قَضَمَ qaḍama
- nibble in Vietnamese
- nhấm nháp, nhâm nhi
Examples of nibble in a sentence
- I then nibbled all the red wax of our last ball-tickets, […]1712 July 25 (Gregorian calendar), [Richard Steele], “MONDAY, July 15, 1712”, in The Spectator, number 431; republished in Alexander...
- Dire Ills, it ſeems! their Gods denounce in Rage; / And Garlick only, can their Gods aſſvvage. / Thrice then, each Morn, (for thrice the Povvers direct) / Garlick thou nibbleſt, vvith devout Reſpect.1751, Persius, “The Fifth Satire of Persius”, in [Thomas Brewster], transl., The Satires of Persius Translated into English Verse: […], 2nd...
- A silent space with ever sprouting green. / All the tenderest birds there find a pleasant screen, / Creep through the shade with jaunty fluttering, / Nibble the little cupped flowers and sing.1816 (date written), John Keats, “Sleep and Poetry”, in Poems, London: […] [Charles Richards] for C[harles] & J[ames] Ollier, […]...
- Where every stream in its pent-house / Goes gurgling on its way, / And in his gallery the mouse / Nibbleth the meadow hay; […]1843 October, Henry D[avid] Thoreau, “A Winter Walk”, in [Ralph Waldo Emerson; Sophia Thoreau], editors, Excursions, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor...
Synonyms of nibble
Forms of nibble
| Verb | |
|---|---|
| third-person singular present | nibbles |
| present participle | nibbling |
| past participle | nibbled |
| past | nibbled |
| second-person singular present (archaic) | nibblest |
| second-person singular past (archaic) | nibbledst |
| third-person singular present (archaic) | nibbleth |
| Noun | |
| plural | nibbles |
| alternative form | nybble |
| alternative form | nybl |
Origin of nibble
The verb is derived from Late Middle English nebillen, nebyll (“to peck away at (something), nibble; (figurative) to attempt to sing (a part of a song)”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from Middle Low German nibbelen (“to eat in small bites, peck”) (modern German Low German nibbeln, gnibbeln, knibbeln), possibly a variant of knabbelen, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gnet- (“to press”) or imitative. The noun is derived from the verb. Cognates * Middle Dutch cnibbelen (modern Dutch knibbelen (“to gnaw; to murmur”), nibbelen (“to nibble”)) * Saterland Frisian nibje (“to nibble”) * West Frisian knibbelje
A pun on the homophony of byte and bite.
Words formed from nibble
Words that rhyme with nibble
4 more rhymesFewer rhymes
Questions about nibble
- What does nibble mean?
- Nibble means to take a small, quick bite, or several of such bites, of (something).
- What is nibble in Tamil?
- Nibble in Tamil is பல்லால் கொறி, துருவு, நன்னு. See Nibble meaning in Tamil.
- How do you use nibble in a sentence?
- I then nibbled all the red wax of our last ball-tickets, […]
- What part of speech is nibble?
- Nibble can be a verb or a noun.
- How do you pronounce nibble?
- Nibble is pronounced /ˈnɪbl̩/ (UK).
- What is the past tense of nibble?
- The past tense of nibble is nibbled.
Words near nibble in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: nibble (page history and authors); nibble (Tamil Wiktionary) (page history and authors); nibble (Urdu Wiktionary) (page history and authors); nibble (Bengali Wiktionary) (page history and authors); nibble (Malayalam Wiktionary) (page history and authors); nibble (Kannada Wiktionary) (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
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Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-nibble.wav.
Cite this entry: “nibble.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/nibble. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.