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a nibble


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WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
nib•ble /ˈnɪbəl/USA pronunciation   v., -bled, -bling, n. 
v. 
  1. to bite off;
    eat or chew in small bits (of): [no object]to nibble on a cracker.[~ + object]nibbling a cracker.
  2. to bite lightly or gently: [no object]The puppy nibbled at his ear.[~ + object]She nibbled his ear.
  3. nibble (away) at, [~ + object] to cause to decrease or become less bit by bit:Tax increases are nibbling away at our profits.

n. [countable]
  1. a small piece bitten off;
    a morsel or bite.
  2. an act or instance of nibbling.
  3. a response by a fish to bait on a fishing line:I thought I felt a nibble.
  4. a show of interest that is not definite:We had the house up for sale for months before we got a nibble from a possible buyer.
nib•bler, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
nib•ble  (nib′əl),USA pronunciation v., -bled, -bling, n. 
v.i. 
  1. to bite off small bits.
  2. to eat or chew in small bites:Give him a graham cracker to nibble on.
  3. to bite, eat, or chew gently and in small amounts (usually fol. by at):She was so upset she could only nibble at her food.

v.t. 
  1. to bite off small bits of (something).
  2. to eat (food) by biting off small pieces.
  3. to bite in small bits:He nibbled each morsel with great deliberation.
  4. Idioms nibble away at, to cause to decrease or diminish bit by bit:Inflation was nibbling away at her savings. The rains nibbled at the loam.Also, nibble at. 

n. 
  1. a small morsel or bit:Each nibble was eaten with the air of an epicure.
  2. an act or instance of nibbling.
  3. a response by a fish to bait on a fishing line.
  4. any preliminary positive response or reaction.
  • Middle Low German nibbelen to pick with the beak; compare nib, -le
  • late Middle English nebillen to peck away at, nibble, try, perh. 1425–75
    • 8.See corresponding entry in Unabridged tidbit, bite, taste, crumb.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
nibble / ˈnɪbəl/
when intr, often followed by at:
  1. (esp of animals, such as mice) to take small repeated bites (of)
  2. to take dainty or tentative bites: to nibble at a cake
  3. to bite (at) gently or caressingly
  1. a small mouthful
  2. an instance or the act of nibbling
  3. (plural) small items of food, esp savouries, usually served with drinks
Etymology: 15th Century: related to Low German nibbelen. Compare nib, neb

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