nick 1 of 2

noun

ˈnik How to pronounce nick (audio)
Definition of nicknext
1
as in chip
a V-shaped cut usually on an edge or a surface I made a nick in the frame when I accidentally dropped it

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2
as in jail
British slang a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody the blokes at the pub traded stories of nights spent in the nick after having lifted too many pints

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3
as in shape
British a state of being or fitness the princess is in excellent nick these days

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nick

2 of 2

verb

British slang
1
as in to steal
to take (something) without right and with an intent to keep that lorry was a piece of rubbish, I don't know why anyone would want to nick it

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2
as in to arrest
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law a petty thief who was always getting nicked for picking the pockets of tourists outside Buckingham Palace

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of nick
Noun
Chlorine doesn't magically seal a shaving nick, scraped knee, or healing surgical incision. — Angela Haupt, Time, 20 July 2026 Ask about their protocol if a dog is injured during grooming, even a minor nick, and expect a clear process for communicating incidents to the owner. — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2026
Verb
April’s propensity for nicking small items that don’t belong to her is mentioned only once, transparently used to drive a plotline that’s already shoddy. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026 Most sheets can be trimmed to size with tin snips and secured with silicone caulk or screws; just wear gloves when cutting, since the sharp edges can nick bare skin. — Lauren Murphy, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nick
  1. chip
  2. jail
  3. shape
  4. steal
  5. arrest
  6. slit
  7. prison
  8. condition
Noun
  • The shift from chips to capital carries significant risks should OpenAI run into trouble.
    — Kif Leswing,Isabel O'Brien, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Meanwhile, the MacBook Neo runs on an A18 Pro chip, first released in iPhones and adapted to run macOS.
    — Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of chip
Noun
  • The report examined publicly available FBI and immigration arrest data and does not include details about whether charges were dropped or if people served any time in jail or prison.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Look, the Kansas Bill of Rights clearly says you cannot be arrested or thrown in jail because of indebtedness.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of jail
Noun
  • David Chokachi is in the best shape of his life thanks, in part, to an unconventional routine.
    — Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Nordic Knots’s rug is one way to add a slight edge to your floors, as its sharp geometry on soft wool juxtaposes the severity of the shapes.
    — Alex Eagle, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of shape
Verb
  • Video on social media showed distressed shopkeepers begging young men to stop stealing their inventory—and those young men pushing them aside to grab shoes and food from their shelves.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The response comes as the French government increases scrutiny of online marketplaces following reports that goods stolen during Saturday’s unrest were being offered for sale online.
    — Sadie Andrew, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of steal
Verb
  • People in the country longer may have more opportunities to contest their removal while the government typically has greater authority to fast-track deportations for people arrested at the border.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
  • In April, a US Army soldier was arrested and charged with using confidential information to make $410,000 in Polymarket bets on the timing of the military’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
    — Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of arrest
Noun
  • John Whitney was this experimental filmmaker who had developed this technique called ‘slit scan,’ which would be a key element to the ‘Stargate’ sequence.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The double-slit experiment, for example, is a classic setup where scientists send particles through two gaps in a screen and observe a resulting interference pattern, proving that the particles act as waves.
    — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of slit
Noun
  • She was sentenced to just over 11 years in prison, and she and her former boyfriend and business partner Sunny Balwani were ordered to pay $452 million in restitution.
    — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Miranda Orozco, 50, was sentenced to 30 years in prison after admitting to arranging travel and accommodations for two people who died and another who was seriously injured.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of prison
Noun
  • The company aims to develop a wider lineup of electric-propulsion ships suited to different operating conditions and customer requirements.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
  • That website works great in the demo—under specific conditions and without users with thumbs for fingers.
    — Brian Jenney, IEEE Spectrum, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of condition

Phrases Containing nick

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niching
nick
nick (at)
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Cite this Entry

“Nick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nick. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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