nick

Meanings

Plural: nicks

Noun

an impression in a surface (as made by a blow)
(British slang) a prison
- "he's in the nick"
a small cut
A small cut in a surface.
A particular place or point considered as marked by a nick; the exact point or critical moment.
A small cut in a surface.
A notch cut crosswise in the shank of a type, to assist a compositor in placing it properly in the stick, and in distribution.
Senses connoting something small.
A small deflection of the ball off the edge of the bat, often going to the wicket-keeper for a catch.
Senses connoting something small.
One of the single-stranded DNA segments produced during nick translation.
Senses connoting something small.
The point where the wall of the court meets the floor.
Often in the expressions in bad nick and in good nick: condition, state.
A police station or prison.
Clipping of nickname.
A nix or nixie (“water spirit”).

Verb

cut slightly, with a razor
- "The barber's knife nicked his cheek"
cut a nick into
divide or reset the tail muscles of
- "nick horses"
mate successfully; of livestock
To make a nick or notch in; to cut or scratch in a minor way.
To make ragged or uneven, as by cutting nicks or notches in; to deface, to mar.
To make a nick or notch in; to cut or scratch in a minor way.
To make a crosscut or cuts on the underside of (the tail of a horse, in order to make the animal carry it higher).
To make a nick or notch in; to cut or scratch in a minor way.
To fit into or suit, as by a correspondence of nicks; to tally with.
To hit at, or in, the nick; to touch rightly; to strike at the precise point or time.
To fit into or suit, as by a correspondence of nicks; to tally with.
To hit the ball with the edge of the bat and produce a fine deflection.
To fit into or suit, as by a correspondence of nicks; to tally with.
To throw or turn up (a number when playing dice); to hit upon.
To fit into or suit, as by a correspondence of nicks; to tally with.
To make a cut at the side of the face.
To steal.
To arrest.
To give or call (someone) by a nickname; to style.

Origin / Etymology

The noun is derived from Late Middle English nik (“notch, tally; nock of an arrow”). Its further etymology is unknown; a connection with nock (“notch in a bow to hold the bowstring; notch at the rear of an arrow that fits the bowstring; cleft in the buttocks”) has not been clearly established.
The verb appears to be derived from the noun, though the available evidence shows that some of the verb senses predate the noun senses. No connection with words in Germanic languages such as Danish nikke (“to nod”), Middle Dutch nicken (“to bend; to bow”) (modern Dutch knikken (“to nod”)), Middle Low German nicken (“to bend over; to sink”), Middle High German nicken (“to bend; to depress”) (modern German nicken (“to nod”)), Middle Low German knicken (“to bend; to snap”) (modern German knicken (“to bend; to break”), Old Frisian hnekka (“to nod”), and Swedish nicka (“to nod”), has been clearly established.

Synonyms

chip, dent, ding, gouge, notch, snick

Scrabble Score: 10

nick is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
nick is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
nick is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 12

nick is a valid Words With Friends word