nick

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++nick1 /nɪk/ noun  1  in the nick of time ON TIMEjust before it is too late, or just before something bad happens 在紧要关头；正是时候 Luckily, help arrived in the nick of time. 幸运的是援兵及时到来。2  in good nick/in bad nick etc British English informalCONDITION/STATE OF something in good condition or in bad condition 状态良好/不好等 It’s an old car but it’s still in good nick. 这是辆旧车，但性能仍然不错。3. CUT[countable] a very small cut made on the edge or surface of something 刻痕；裂口4. the nick British English informalSCJ a police station 警察局

Examples from the Corpus

nick• Anyone still in Lewisham nick would have been carrying.• Even the smallest nick can cause streaking.• They're all in the nick. charged with possession.• But better in the nick of time than not at all.• With repairs completed in the nick of time she sailed for the operation with a depleted crew.• In the nick of time: according to one recent report 80 out of 92 league clubs are technically insolvent.• I could smell their tobacco and see the nicks left by their razors.• You could see the nicks on them, places where you stuck some one.

Related topics: Crime, Police

nick2 verb [transitive]  1  British English informalSCCSTEAL to steal something 偷 SYN pinch, steal Someone’s nicked my wallet. 有人偷了我的钱包。nick something from somebody/something You nicked those pens from my desk. 你从我的书桌上偷走了那些钢笔。► see thesaurus at steal2  CUTto make a small cut in the surface or edge of something, usually by accident 〔意外地〕刻痕于；擦伤 He nicked his hand on some broken glass. 他被一些碎玻璃割破了手。3  British English informalSCPCATCH if the police nick you, they catch you and charge you with a crime 抓获，逮捕，拘捕 SYN arrest You’re nicked! 你被捕了！→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

nick• Roy Winters nicked a line-out ball, and the forwards worked their way closer.• The bullet spun around his body, nicking a rib and burning across his back.• He'd scatter some of the grain he'd nicked, and fetch down the wire and cutters, and his books.• She looked, appropriately, nicked by the sarcasm of his tone.• He was not sure how he cut his hand, but suggested that he nicked himself while wrestling with his son.• I must have nicked myself when I was shaving this morning.• They'd nick you for lifting the wallet, and me as well probably, for helping you.• There isn't a finite amount of love to go round so there's a danger some one else might nick your share.Origin nick1 (1400-1500) Perhaps from nock “small cut in the end of a bow for the string to fit in” ((14-20 centuries))

nick1 nounnick2 verbChinese  

Corpus too it just or late, is before

nick

I

nick¹ /nɪk/ noun1. in the nick of time just before it is too late, or just before something bad happens:
    Luckily, help arrived in the nick of time.
2. in good nick/in bad nick etc British English informal in good condition or in bad condition:
    It’s an old car but it’s still in good nick.
3. [countable] a very small cut made on the edge or surface of something
4. the nick British English informal a police station

II

nick² verb [transitive]
1. British English informal to steal something
   SYN  pinch, steal:
    Someone’s nicked my wallet.
    nick something from somebody/something
    You nicked those pens from my desk.
2. to make a small cut in the surface or edge of something, usually by accident:
    He nicked his hand on some broken glass.
3. British English informal if the police nick you, they catch you and charge you with a crime
   SYN  arrest:
    You’re nicked!
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ steal to illegally take something that belongs to someone else: The thieves stole over £10,000 worth of computer equipment. | Thousands of cars get stolen every year.
   ▪ take to steal something – used when it is clear from the situation that you mean that someone takes something dishonestly: The boys broke into her house and took all her money. | They didn’t take much – just a few items of jewellery.
   ▪ burgle British English, burglarize American English [usually passive] to go into someone’s home and steal things, especially when the owners are not there: Their house was burgled while they were away. | If you leave windows open, you are asking to be burgled.
   ▪ rob to steal money or other things from a bank, shop, or person: The gang were convicted of robbing a bank in Essex. | An elderly woman was robbed at gunpoint in her own home. | He’s serving a sentence for robbing a grocery store.
   ▪ mug to attack someone in the street and steal something from them: People in this area are frightened of being mugged when they go out. | Someone tried to mug me outside the station.
   ▪ nick/pinch British English informal to steal something: Someone’s nicked my wallet! | When I came back, my car had been pinched.
   ▪ embezzle to steal money from the organization you work for, especially money that you are responsible for: Government officials embezzled more than $2.5 million from the department.
   ▪ shoplifting stealing things from a shop by taking them when you think no one is looking: Shoplifting costs stores millions of pounds every year.
   ▪ phishing the activity of dishonestly persuading people to give you their credit card details over the Internet, so that you can steal money from their bank account: Phishing is becoming very popular with computer criminals.