# Nick

/ˈnɪk/ (US) · /nˈɪk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/nick
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a small cut

noun · CEFR B2

a small cut or scratch on the surface of something.

For teachers: a small notch, groove, or chip on a surface or edge.

- There was a tiny nick in the glass where it had hit the floor.
- The antique table was in excellent condition, save for a small nick on the left leg caused by the movers.

### 2. condition

noun · CEFR B2 · British English · Informal

the physical state or health of something or someone.

For teachers: the physical state or condition of an object or person; frequently used in the phrases 'in good nick' or 'in bad nick'.

- For an old car, it is still in really good nick.
- Despite its age, the original manuscript was in remarkably good nick, with no signs of water damage or fading.

### 3. prison or police station

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Slang

a place where the police take people who are arrested.

For teachers: a police station or a prison cell.

- He spent a night in the nick after the fight at the pub.
- The suspect was taken down to the nick for questioning regarding the recent string of local burglaries.

### 5. to steal

verb · CEFR B2 · British English · Informal

to take something that does not belong to you.

For teachers: to steal something, typically an item of low to moderate value.

- Someone nicked my bike while I was in the shop.
- He admitted he had nicked a few chocolate bars from the corner store when he was a teenager.

### 6. to arrest

verb · CEFR C1 · British English · Slang

when the police catch someone and take them away.

For teachers: to apprehend or arrest a suspect.

- The police nicked him just as he was trying to leave the country.
- The undercover officers moved in to nick the dealers during the hand-over of the illicit goods.

## Examples

- There is a small nick on the edge of this glass.
- He noticed a tiny nick in the car's paint where a stone had hit the door.
- While the antique table was generally in excellent condition, a small nick on the left leg suggested it had been moved carelessly at some point in its history.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.