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Glite Dictionary
a nibble of

a nibble of

2.5
A small bite of food
  • idiom
translation icon : un bocado de
  • The older kids, my kids are starving one second and then the next Nala's had a nibble of something and she's like so full.

Examples

  • It's not quite the credit-check-at-the-door level of the Ashe Stadium restaurants, but getting a nibble of Chicago chef Tony Mantuano's offerings doesn't come cheap.

    Blog text (24)

  • But the devil will bite a young girl if she gives him a spot, and he sure took a nibble of this one.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • From time to time, I would sneak into the kitchen to check on progress and steal a nibble of something before getting caught.

    Blog text (29)

  • Before dinner, I had a nibble of the appetizer to whet my appetite.

  • She offered me a nibble of her homemade cake, and I couldn't resist.

  • During the picnic, I took a nibble of the fresh fruit from the basket.

Synonyms

bit
vsa nibble of
∞ 1.0

A small piece or amount of something, for example food

is more specifically about a small edible portion rather than anything
bite
vsa nibble of
302 1.0

A small amount of food eaten quickly

is a short informal portion rather than a full meal
nugget
vsa nibble of
106 3.0

A small piece of gold or cooked food like chicken

is focused on a quick eaten portion rather than a lump shape
bite to eat
vsa nibble of
  • Informal
37 1.8

A small quick meal or snack

is a brief single portion rather than a light meal
morsel
vsa nibble of
28 3.2

A small piece of food that you eat in one bite

is a light quick portion rather than a formal serving
a bite of
vsa nibble of
25 1.0

A small piece of food taken from a larger serving

is a quick small portion often suggested in casual contexts
one bite
vsa nibble of
20 1.0

A single piece of food you put into your mouth at once

is a brief small portion often used in casual speech
tidbit
vsa nibble of
  • US
5 3.6

A small tasty piece of food to eat

is simply a small portion without stressing taste quality
lick of
vsa nibble of
  • Informal
3 6.8

A very small amount of something, often a taste like honey

is a slightly larger quick mouthful rather than just a taste

Antonyms

heaping
2.7

Having a large amount that forms a pile

How Much

portion
61 1.3
one bite
20 1.0
a nibble of
2.5

Surface Forms

a nibble of singular
nibbles of plural

Morphology

a + nibble + of

The meaning 'a small bite or portion' is directly and transparently derived from the noun 'nibble' (a small gentle bite) combined with the partitive construction 'a ... of', so a learner who knows the constituents can infer the phrase. This is a straightforward compositional, cross-linguistically common pattern (partitive/quantifier + noun), making it immediately comprehensible to B1 learners.

Etymology

The phrase a nibble of comes from the word nibble, which means a very small bite; picture a mouse quietly taking a tiny bite of cheese. That's why it now means 'a small bite' or 'a small amount'.