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Glite Dictionary
to nick the paint

to nick the paint

1 4.9
Make a small scratch or chip in a painted surface
  • phrasal verb
: rayar la pintura
  • She accidentally nicked the paint on the car door with her keys.

Examples

  • Even a small rock can nick the paint on your bicycle frame.

  • Try not to nick the paint while installing the new shelves.

  • Be careful not to nick the paint!

  • He nicked the paint while moving the furniture.

  • When painting the fence, be careful not to nick the paint with your brush.

  • She used a special tool to nick the paint so it would blend better in the repair.

  • Moving the vase caused him to nick the paint on the table's edge.

Synonyms

to scratch
vsto nick the paint
100 1.1

To cut or mark a surface by scraping it with something sharp

removes paint causing a small chip rather than just marks
to scrape
vsto nick the paint
93 1.2

To rub material off a surface with something hard or sharp

usually results in a tiny paint chip instead of broad material loss
to nick
vsto nick the paint
31 3.5

To make a small cut on the skin or a surface, often by accident

creates a tiny paint chip rather than only a surface notch
to scuff
vsto nick the paint
13 3.6

To damage a surface by scraping it with something

produces a small chip in the paint rather than a shallow rubbed mark
to key
vsto nick the paint
10 8.4

To scratch a car's paint with a sharp object

is a small paint chip often accidental rather than deliberate vandal damage
to scratch up
vsto nick the paint
8 3.5

Make small cuts or marks on a surface by rubbing it

typically means a small paint chip rather than widespread surface scarring
to ding
vsto nick the paint
7 3.8

To make a small dent in something, for example on a car or phone

focuses on removing paint to leave a small chip not a dent
to chip at
vsto nick the paint
1 3.9

To remove small pieces from a surface by cutting or hitting it

involves a single small paint chip rather than many shaped removals
to scarify
vsto nick the paint
  • Specialized
1 9.2

To make small cuts in seed coats so they take in water and grow

targets paint causing a small chip rather than aiding growth or absorption

Antonyms

to maintain
103 3.1

Keep something in good condition by repairing and protecting it

to restore
6 3.4

Return someone to their family or a thing to its owner

How Damaged

to strip
129 2.7
to peel off
5 3.9
to nick the paint
1 4.9
to scuff
13 3.6

Surface Forms

nick the paint infinitive
nicked the paint past
nicked the paint past participle
nicking the paint present participle
nicks the paint third person singular

Morphology

nick + the + paint

The meaning 'to scratch or make a small chip in a painted surface' is directly and compositionally derived from 'nick' (to cut slightly into a surface) acting on the object 'paint', following a simple verb + object pattern. This is a literal, non-idiomatic construction (the definite article is inert here), so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words would reliably infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Nick the paint puts nick, a small cut, together with paint in a simple picture: imagine a key or a small stone making a tiny scrape that takes off a bit of paint. That's why it means 'to scratch or make a small chip in a painted surface'.