Definition of "nick" in English

noun

1. A small cut in a surface.

2. Senses connoting something small.

3. (UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, colloquial) Often in the expressions in bad nick and in good nick: condition, state.

   • The car I bought was cheap and in good nick.

4. (UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, law enforcement, slang) A police station or prison.

   • He was arrested and taken down to Sun Hill nick [police station] to be charged.
   • He’s just been released from Shadwell nick [prison] after doing ten years for attempted murder.

verb

1. (transitive) To make a nick or notch in; to cut or scratch in a minor way.

   • I nicked myself while I was shaving.

2. (transitive, obsolete) To fit into or suit, as by a correspondence of nicks; to tally with.

3. (transitive, mining) To make a cut at the side of the face.

4. (transitive, UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, colloquial) To steal.

   • Someone’s nicked my bike!

5. (transitive, UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, law enforcement, slang) To arrest.

   • The police nicked him climbing over the fence of the house he’d broken into.

noun

1. (Internet) Clipping of nickname.

   • a user’s reserved nick on an IRC network

verb

1. (transitive, obsolete) To give or call (someone) by a nickname; to style.

noun

1. (archaic) A nix or nixie (“water spirit”).