nibble (away) on (something)
(redirected from nibbles away at)nibble
A four-bit aggregation of digital information, playfully named because it is half the de facto size of a byte. Sometimes spelled as "nybble" to reflect the spelling of "byte." The compression system packs an item of information into one nibble of a byte while the other nibble is set as a destination flag. I've written a script that cycles through and replaces corrupted nybbles.
nibble (away) on (something)
1. Literally, to eat something at a slow pace and in small bites. I wonder if Mary isn't feeling well—she only nibbled on her dinner. He sat on the bench, happily nibbling away on his cookie.
2. To bite something very softly so as not to break the surface. He started nibbling on my elbows, thinking it would turn me on.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
nibble on
v.
1. To eat something by taking small, quick bites, often as a snack or a light meal: Dinner wasn't for another two hours, so I nibbled on some potato chips. The rabbit nibbled on a carrot.
2. To bite something but not break the surface: Nervously, I nibbled on my pencil's eraser during the test.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
nibble
1. n. a cautious or preliminary response to something. (see also nybble.) My advertisement got three nibbles this morning.
2. in. to reply cautiously or tentatively to something. I hope someone who wants to buy my car nibbles at the description I posted on the Internet.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.