Nippy

//ˈnɪpi// adj, noun, slang

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Fast; speedy. UK, informal

    "The jaunty 1969 crime caper about the cockney casanova of crime who pulls off a bullion heist in Turin during an England versus Italy football match using three nippy Mini Coopers—red, white and blue—speaks of a forgotten age in England[…]."

  2. 2
    Rather cold. informal

    "Gosh, it's a bit nippy today: I'd better wear my gloves."

  3. 3
    Inclined to nip; bitey.

    "Spoiling may create a pushy, nippy dog that lacks confidence."

  4. 4
    Annoying; irritating. Scotland, informal
  5. 5
    Sharp in taste. Scotland
Show 3 more definitions
  1. 6
    Spicy tasting. Scotland
  2. 7
    Curt. Scotland
  3. 8
    Parsimonious. Scotland
Adjective
  1. 1
    pleasantly cold and invigorating wordnet
  2. 2
    a sharp biting taste wordnet
Noun
  1. 1
    Alternative letter-case form of Nippy. UK, alt-of, historical

    "Lyon's Corner House¶ A postwar survivor of a prewar original, when the name Lyon's was a guarantee of quality eating. The Pret A Manger, Starbucks and Maison Blanc of its day, complete with black-uniformed, white-pinnied waitresses known as nippies."

  2. 2
    A waitress in a Lyons Corner House. UK, historical

    "He reached across to the breakfast-table for the Daily Yell which was propped against the marmalade jar, and read with pursed lips a paragraph whose heavily leaded headlines had caught his eye, just before the interruption of the kipper episode. “Nippy” Found Dead in Epping Forest […] “Did the landlady mention where Bertha Gotobed was employed?” “Yes⁠—she was a waitress at the Corner House. […]”"

Etymology

Etymology 1

From nip + -y.

Etymology 2

From nip + -y.

Etymology 3

From nippy (“speedy”).

Next best steps

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: nippy