Nugget

//ˈnʌɡət// noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A small, compact chunk or clump. countable

    "a gold nugget"

  2. 2
    a solid lump of a precious metal (especially gold) as found in the earth wordnet
  3. 3
    A chicken nugget. countable

    "By now, we hope you have said “no” to processed nuggets and fingers. Instead, how about taking some real chicken, tossing it with real eggs, a little tangy mustard, and a crunchy quinoa coating?"

  4. 4
    A tidbit of something valuable. countable

    "a nugget of wisdom"

  5. 5
    A small piece of tasty food, a tidbit. countable
Show 6 more definitions
  1. 6
    A type of boot polish. uncountable
  2. 7
    A bud from the Cannabis sativa plant, especially one that is potent. countable
  3. 8
    An inexperienced, newly trained fighter pilot. countable, slang

    "Jack stifled a smirk at the ensign's expressionless non-reaction. He'd been a nugget himself once, the new guy fresh from training."

  4. 9
    A partial description gleaned from data mining. countable, uncountable

    "We have previously said that the heuristic algorithms produce good nuggets for most classes and most λ values […]"

  5. 10
    A person with no arms or legs; a basket case. countable, slang
  6. 11
    An item that is typically old and of dubious quality or poor condition. Australia, countable, slang
Verb
  1. 1
    To find nuggets (of something valuable)

    "The other day, you are told, a fellow nuggetted ten or twenty pounds weight, and, of course, you see no reason why half a hundred weight might not be lying snugly ensconced awaiting the revelations of your pick."

  2. 2
    To smear a male's genitals or anus with boot polish or similar substance against his will. Australia, New-Zealand, slang

    "Among the complaints to Dart, “blackballing” or “nuggetting” was the most common form of sexual abuse carried out by recruits, and referred to a boy being forcibly held down “while boot polish, toothpaste or another substance was forcibly smeared on his genitals or anal area, sometimes with a hard brush.”"

Etymology

Etymology 1

Uncertain, first attested in reference to animals & people in Scotland and in reference to ore chunks in Australia. Possibly from southern English nug (“lump, block”) or Scottish knudge/nudge (“short, sturdy person or animal”) + -et (“forming diminutives”) or from rebracketed alteration of an ingot as a ni(n)got.

Etymology 2

Uncertain, first attested in reference to animals & people in Scotland and in reference to ore chunks in Australia. Possibly from southern English nug (“lump, block”) or Scottish knudge/nudge (“short, sturdy person or animal”) + -et (“forming diminutives”) or from rebracketed alteration of an ingot as a ni(n)got.

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