arrive in the nick of time

To appear or reach a particular destination at the last possible moment before being too late. The two men were about to start swinging broken bottles at each other. Thankfully, the police arrived in the nick of time. I was worried I was going to miss the mailman, but I arrived home in the nick of time. You arrived in the nick of time—we're just about to start the show.

be nicked

slang Primarily heard in UK.

1. To be stolen. If you kids keeping leaving your toys and scooters all over the lawn, they're liable to be nicked. Hey, it seems my wallet was nicked while we were on the Tube! Call the police, the donation basket's been nicked!

2. To be arrested. Tom was nicked by the cops last night. I was nicked hotwiring a car behind the city courthouse. What are you in for? Well, it seems my son has been nicked by the police. Guess I'm headed down to the station!

See also: nick

down the nick

slang At the police station. Primarily heard in UK. Tom just called, he's down the nick. I guess the cops broke up that party he was at. I can't believe it—Brian's down the nick because he got caught hotwiring a car. Well, I had to go down to the nick this morning because it seems that my son got arrested last night on his way home.

full of Old Nick

Apt to get into trouble. ("Old Nick" is an old-fashioned name for the devil in Christianity.) Of course the kids got into the paint when they weren't supposed to—they were full of Old Nick today. Keep a close eye on Billy. If anyone in this class is full of Old Nick, it's him. Wait, Chelsea has detention too? That's surprising—she's not usually full of Old Nick.

full of the devil

Apt to get into trouble. Of course the kids got into the paint when they weren't supposed to—they were full of the devil today. Keep a close eye on Billy. If anyone in this class is full of the devil, it's him. Wait, Chelsea has detention too? That's surprising—she's not usually full of devil.

See also: devil, full, of

get nicked

slang

1. verb To be stolen. Primarily heard in UK. If you kids keeping leaving your toys and scooters all over the lawn, they're liable to get nicked. Hey, it seems my wallet got nicked while we were on the Tube! Call the police, the donation basket got nicked!

2. verb To be arrested. Primarily heard in UK. Tom got nicked by the cops last night. I got nicked hotwiring a car behind the city courthouse. What are you in for? Well, it seems my son has gotten nicked by the police. Guess I'm headed down to the station!

3. expression Go away. Primarily heard in Australia, New Zealand. Get nicked, will you? You're really annoying me! I can't believe they said that to you! I'll tell the whole lot of 'em to get nicked. Get nicked, I'm not cleaning up your mess!

in good/poor/etc. nick

In a certain condition, as specified by the adjective used before "nick." Can be used to refer to the physical condition of something or to someone's health. Primarily heard in UK. Our local football club has struggled in the last few years. We don't get many new players, and our pitch has been in poor nick for as long as I can remember. He had a long road to recovery after the surgery, but he's in good nick now. I was sick all winter, so I'm thrilled to finally be in good nick now.

in the nick of time

At the last possible moment before a deadline or before something begins or ends; just in time. That car moved off the track in the nick of time—another moment and the train would have smashed into it. You got here in the nick of time—we're just about to start the show. I was worried I was going to miss the mailman, but I made it in the nick of time.

See also: nick, of, time

in the very nick of time

At the last possible moment before a deadline or before something begins or ends; just in time. That car moved off the track in the very nick of time—another moment and the train would have smashed into it. You got here in the very nick of time—we're just about to start the show. I was worried I was going to miss the mailman, but I arrived home in the very nick of time.

just in the nick of time

At the last possible moment before a deadline or before something begins or ends; just in time. That car moved off the track just in the nick of time—another moment and the train would have smashed into it. A: "Sorry I'm late!" B: "Just in the nick of time, Tom. We're just about to start the show now."

knick-knack

A trinket or bauble, typically one that is small and ornamental. I loved visiting my grandmother when I was a child and examining all the various knick-knacks she'd collected around the house.

make it in the nick of time

To arrive at a particular destination or event at the last possible moment before one would have been too late. Thankfully, the police made it in the nick of time and stopped the two men from swinging broken bottles at each other. I was worried I was going to miss the mailman, but I made it in the nick of time.

nick

1. To steal something, especially without the other person noticing. Primarily heard in UK. I managed to nick £20 out of my mom's purse, so let's go to the movies or something. I was just a dumb punk when I was in secondary school, skipping classes and nicking food from the shops.

2. To arrest someone. Often used in passive constructions. I heard the police nicked Tom last night. I got nicked stealing a car behind the city courthouse. What are you in for?

nick (one) for (something)

To cheat or swindle one out of something, especially money. The crooked mayor reportedly nicked taxpayers for nearly $1 million during his time in public office. Because they have a near-monopoly in the concert distribution market, the company is able to nick customers for all sorts of bogus extra charges that they add in at the last second.

nick ninny

obsolete A foolish or simple-minded person. I don't care if Reginald is in love with her—Edith is an utter nick ninny and, as such, has no place in this celebrated family.

nick off

1. To leave or depart very suddenly, abruptly, or hurriedly, especially without permission. Primarily heard in Australia. She and two other kids had nicked off from school. The man I had asked to cover for me apparently nicked off early, which meant that I got in trouble for leaving the post unattended.

2. To steal or filch something from someone. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "nick" and "off." Primarily heard in UK. I nicked a cigarette off my roommate and headed outside. Check out this wallet I nicked off a tourist in the city centre.

nick up

To scuff, scratch, cut, or dent in multiple places the surface of something, especially one that had previously been free of blemishes. A noun or pronoun can be used between "nick" and "up." The movers I hired didn't put down protective padding and nicked up the top of my oak dressing table. Sarah has been nicking the side of my car up driving too close to the bushes next to the driveway when she backs out in the morning. I needed to shave on the flight, but the turbulence kept making me nick my neck up.

nicked

slang Primarily heard in UK.

1. Stolen. If you kids keeping leaving your toys and scooters all over the lawn, they're liable to be nicked.

2. Arrested. Tom was nicked by the cops last night. I was nicked hotwiring a car behind the city courthouse. What are you in for?

See also: nick

Old Nick

An old-fashioned name for the devil in Christianity. Primarily heard in UK. After dating a vegetarian for six months, I would sell my soul to Old Nick for a big, juicy steak right about now.

full of the devil

and full of Old Nick

always making mischief. Little Chuckie is sure full of the devil. Toward the end of the school year, the kids are always full of Old Nick.

See also: devil, full, of

*in the (very) nick of time

Fig. just in time; at the last possible instant; just before it's too late. (*Typically: arrive ~; get there ~; happen ~; reach something ~; Save someone ~.) The doctor arrived in the nick of time. The patient's life was saved. I reached the airport in the very nick of time and made my flight.

See also: nick, of, time

nick something up

to make little dents or nicks in something, ruining the finish. Someone nicked the kitchen counter up. Who nicked up the coffeepot?

in the nick of time

Also, just in time. At the last moment, as in The police arrived in the nick of time, or He got there just in time for dinner. The first term began life as in the nick and dates from the 1500s, when nick meant "the critical moment" (a meaning now obsolete). The second employs just in the sense of "precisely" or "closely," a usage applied to time since the 1500s. Also see in time, def. 1.

See also: nick, of, time

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

in the nick of time

COMMON If something happens in the nick of time, it happens at the last possible moment, when it is almost too late. She woke up just in the nick of time and raised the alarm. They got to the hospital in the nick of time, just as the baby was about to be born.

See also: nick, of, time

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

in — nick

in a specified condition. British informal

1997 Ian Rankin Black & Blue Don't be fooled by the wheezing old pensioner routine. Eve's around fifty, still in good nick.

See also: nick

in the nick of time

only just in time; just at the critical moment.

Nick is used here in the sense of ‘the precise moment of an occurrence or an event’. This form of the phrase dates from the mid 17th century, but in the (very ) nick is recorded from the late 16th century.

1985 Nini Herman My Kleinian Home Time and again, when all seemed lost, I somehow won through in the nick of time.

See also: nick, of, time

nick someone for

cheat someone out of something, typically a sum of money. North American informal

1962 Washington Daily News Taxpayers… have heard rumblings that they might be nicked for about a million dollars each year to subsidize professional sports here.

in good, bad, etc. ˈnick

(British English, informal) in good/bad condition or health: When I last saw him he looked in pretty good nick. ♢ She wants to sell the bike, but she won’t get very much for it because it’s in terrible nick.

See also: nick

in the ˌnick of ˈtime

(informal) at the last possible moment; just in time: He got to the railway station in the nick of time. ♢ He remembered in the nick of time that his passport was in his coat pocket.

See also: nick, of, time

full of the devil

and full of Old Nick

mod. always making mischief. Little Chucky is sure full of the devil. All those kids are full of Old Nick.

See also: devil, full, of

full of Old Nick

verb

See full of the devil

nick

1. tv. to arrest someone. (see also nicked.) The cops nicked Paul outside his house.

2. tv. to steal something. The thugs nicked a couple of apples from the fruit stand.

3. tv. to get or take something. Tom nicked a copy of the test for Sam, who also needed one.

4. n. nicotine. I’m craving some nick.

nicked

mod. arrested. “Now I’m nicked,” he said.

See also: nick

full of the devil

Very energetic, mischievous, daring, or clever.

See also: devil, full, of

in the nick of time

Just at the critical moment; just in time.

See also: nick, of, time

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

nick of time, (just) in the

At the last minute, just in time. This term comes from a now obsolete meaning of nick, that is, “the critical moment.” A 1577 chronicle states, “The Romane navie . . . arrived at the very pinch, or as commonly we say, in the nicke.” Nearly a century later of time was added to clarify the issue, although just in the nick continued to be used for many years. It probably was a cliché by the time Sir Walter Scott wrote (The Pirate, 1821), “The fortunate arrival of Gordaunt, in the very nick of time.”