Idiom idiom
nip at
Meaning
To sip a drink (usually alcoholic) in small amounts.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“He likes to nip at his whiskey while reading.”
“She sat by the fire and continued to nip at her glass of wine all evening.”
“The elderly gentleman preferred to sit quietly in his study, slowly nipping at a glass of aged brandy as he reflected on the day.”
Anchors to
Last updated August 10, 2026