Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A small measure or quantity of beer or liquor.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun obsolete A small cup.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun archaic A small
cup or othervessel , of perhaps 1/8pint involume . - noun archaic A small
amount of beer, wine, or other liquid, of perhaps 1/8 pint in volume.
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
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Examples
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This she dragged out, and filling her "nipperkin" with water, carried them both to Ruth, saying, in her sweet, pleading way, --
Dotty Dimple's Flyaway Sophie May 1869
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Rambles at starchamber.com » Blog Archive » Anthropomorphic nipperkin
Rambles at starchamber.com » Blog Archive » Anthropomorphic nipperkin 2005
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Opening a cupboard, I found half a loaf of bread, a nipperkin of milk, and a rind of cheese.
The Yeoman Adventurer George W. Gough
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Dotty drained the nipperkin at two draughts, and said it wasn't half enough.
Dotty Dimple at Her Grandmother's Sophie May 1869
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Little Flyaway ran after them, holding her nipperkin of milk close to her bosom, to keep off the flies, as she thought.
Dotty Dimple at Her Grandmother's Sophie May 1869
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He loved the "nipperkin, canakin, and the brown bowl" more than they deserve.
The Cloister and the Hearth Charles Reade 1849
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In six little minutes more she soundly rated a careless servant-girl for carrying a nipperkin of wine awry and spilling good liquor.
The Cloister and the Hearth Charles Reade 1849
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Well, then, here's to your good health! for you must know, I have set a nipperkin of toddy by me, just by way of spell, to keep away the meikle horned deil, or any of his subaltern imps who may be on their nightly rounds.
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Well, then, here is to your good health! for you must know, I have set a nipperkin of toddy by me, just by way of spell, to keep away the meikle horned deil, or any of his subaltern imps who may be on their nightly rounds.
The Letters of Robert Burns Robert Burns 1777
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This foldable telescope-shaped ring is certainly a cordial on-the-go nipperkin injection.
Coolbuzz 2008
chained_bear commented on the word nipperkin
A small vessel used as a measure for alcoholic liquor, containing a half-pint or less. The quantity of liquid that can be contained in a nipperkin; a small quantity of ale, wine, spirits, etc. Chiefly Sc. in later use.
This was a very commonly used term at a previous job of mine. We used it to mean a shot-glass or shot-glass-sized amount of liquid. Usage, for example: "It takes many nipperkins to get me lit."
February 16, 2007