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/nˈɪbəl/ Listen

verb

Nibble v. t. (past & past part. nibbled; pres. part. nibbling) To bite by little at a time; to seize gently with the mouth; to eat slowly or in small bits. "Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep."

Nibble v. t. To bite upon something gently or cautiously; to eat a little of a thing, as by taking small bits cautiously; as, fishes nibble at the bait. "Instead of returning a full answer to my book, he manifestly falls a-nibbling at one single passage."

noun

nibble n.

A small or cautious bite.

Hence: (Fig.) An expression of interest, often tentative, as at the beginning of a sale or negotiation process.

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Etymology of 'Nibble'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Nibble" Quotes from Famous Books

... patience of the "Cracker" is equalled only by that of "their cousins, the Indians"; I have seen one of them sit for twelve hours continuously in one place fishing without being encouraged by even a little nibble; his face was as placid as that of a mummy which he closely resembles; then suddenly he would pull in scores of trout, but with the same imperturbable composure ...

— The Gentleman from Everywhere • James Henry Foss

... little something, too. I stood over the block while the man cut that three-inch hunk from the top of the round, and then I made a mortal enemy of the cook by jugglin' the broiler myself. But Pinckney did more than nibble. After that he wanted to turn in. Sleep? I had to lift him out at four G. M. The water-cure woke him, though. He tried to beg off on the last few glasses, but I made him down 'em. Then we starts towards Boston, Goggles behind, ...

— Shorty McCabe • Sewell Ford

... three feet long and have shown the embryo bunches, a number of men enter the vineyard with switches and knock off the tender ends of the runners, which in a gentler method of cultivation would be picked off with the finger and thumb-nail. Sometimes goats are turned in to nibble off the shoots in order to save labour, and at the same time to feed the animals; they of course damage the vines, but the Cypriote thinks the system pays. The young vines are never staked and tied as in Europe, but are allowed to take their chance, and the heavy bunches in many instances ...

— Cyprus, as I Saw it in 1879 • Sir Samuel W. Baker

... o' leaves an' stibble, Has cost thee mony a weary nibble! Now thou's turn'd out, for a' thy trouble, But house or hald, To thole the winter's sleety dribble, ...

— The Golden Treasury - Of the Best Songs and Lyrical Poems in the English Language • Various

... on his quest for assistance the riderless horse, which had begun to nibble grass by the roadside, lifted his head with a snort that brought the lad to a sudden halt. Why not make use of this animal if he could catch it? Certainly his mission could be accomplished more quickly on horseback than on foot. He started gently toward it, holding out his hand ...

— Cab and Caboose - The Story of a Railroad Boy • Kirk Munroe

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