NIBBLE • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Nibble

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/nˈɪbəl/ Listen

verb

Nibble v. t. (past & past part. nibbled; pres. part. nibbling) To bite by little at a time; to seize gently with the mouth; to eat slowly or in small bits. "Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep."

Nibble v. t. To bite upon something gently or cautiously; to eat a little of a thing, as by taking small bits cautiously; as, fishes nibble at the bait. "Instead of returning a full answer to my book, he manifestly falls a-nibbling at one single passage."

noun

nibble n.

A small or cautious bite.

Hence: (Fig.) An expression of interest, often tentative, as at the beginning of a sale or negotiation process.

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Etymology of 'Nibble'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Nibble" Quotes from Famous Books

... his painters; vainly had he fancied that thereby he might be remembered. A peach—a blushing, rich-flavored fruit, nestling in the trellis work on the garden-wall, hidden beneath its long, green leaves,—this little vegetable production, that a dormouse would nibble up without a thought, was sufficient to recall to the memory of this great monarch the mournful shade of ...

— The Man in the Iron Mask • Alexandre Dumas, Pere

... patience of the "Cracker" is equalled only by that of "their cousins, the Indians"; I have seen one of them sit for twelve hours continuously in one place fishing without being encouraged by even a little nibble; his face was as placid as that of a mummy which he closely resembles; then suddenly he would pull in scores of trout, but with the same imperturbable composure ...

— The Gentleman from Everywhere • James Henry Foss

... the bannock she had been making pretence to nibble. "Janet—that is our dairy girl—lent me her frock and shawl: her shoes too. She goes out to the milking at six, and I took her place. The fog ...

— The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 20 (of 25) • Robert Louis Stevenson

... the most propitious or unpropitious circumstances—was not, indeed, necessarily, catching fish, but still, fishing; and she was almost equally happy whether she did or did not catch any thing. I have known her remain all day in patient expectation of the "glorious nibble," stand through successive showers, with her clothes between whiles drying on her back, and only reluctantly leave the water's edge when it was literally too ...

— Records of a Girlhood • Frances Anne Kemble

... chair, she watched her patron nibble at the carefully-prepared delicacy with his eyes fixed intently upon his newspaper. The dimples disappeared quickly from the girl's face as she noted that the mackerel were growing cold. Then she turned from the table with a sigh. Men did not care what they ate as long ...

— El Diablo • Brayton Norton

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