Ni"o*bate (?), n. [See Niobium.] (Chem.) Same as Columbate.
Ni"o*be (?), n. [L. Nioba, Niobe, Gr. &?;.] (Class, Myth.) The daughter
of Tantalus, and wife of Amphion, king of Thebes. Her pride in her
children provoked Apollo and Diana, who slew them all. Niobe herself
was changed by the gods into stone.
Ni*ob"ic (?), a. (Chem.) Same as Columbic.
Ni"o*bite (?), n. (Min.) Same as Columbite.
Ni*o"bi*um (?), n. [NL., fr. L. & E. Niobe.] (Chem.) A later name of
columbium. See Columbium.
Ni*o"po (?), n. A kind of snuff prepared by the natives of Venezuela
from the roasted seeds of a leguminous tree (Piptadenia peregrina),
thence called niopo tree.
Nip (?), n. [LG. & D. nippen to sip; akin to Dan. nippe, G. nippen.] A
sip or small draught; esp., a draught of intoxicating liquor; a dram.
Nip, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Nipped (?), less properly Nipt; p. pr. & vb.
n. Nipping (?).] [OE. nipen; cf. D. niipen to pinch, also knippen to
nip, clip, pinch, snap, knijpen to pinch, LG. knipen, G. kneipen,
kneifen, to pinch, cut off, nip, Lith. knebti.] 1. To catch and inclose
or compress tightly between two surfaces, or points which are brought
together or closed; to pinch; to close in upon.
May this hard earth cleave to the Nadir hell, Down, down, and close
again, and nip me flat, If I be such a traitress.
Tennyson.
2. To remove by pinching, biting, or cutting with two meeting edges of
anything; to clip.
The small shoots . . . must be nipped off.
Mortimer.
3. Hence: To blast, as by frost; to check the growth or vigor of; to
destroy.