2006-07-27 01:55:29 · 19 answers · asked by susan m 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
i'd imagine it came from the scots as we use the word all the time, with 4 definitions:
1. bitterly cold (yeah, we know all about this one with our weather!), as in "it's nippy today"
2. biting with wee nips, as in "nippy puppies"
3. crabbit, as in "she's a nippy sweetie"
4. hot, spicy, as in "this pepper's quite nippy"
i can't imagine it's derived from 'nipples' as it's a very old word here and the auld scots would've had a fit if anyone used such vulgarities!!
2006-07-27 03:05:31 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Nippy land
2006-07-27 02:18:32 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My guess is the word is descriptive and describes the feeling of cold...it's not really pc to explain the other meaning which is supposed to be a xenophobic joke- a bit nippy, a bit pearl-harbour(a Nip in the air)
2006-07-27 02:06:20 · answer #3 · answered by syelark 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When it used to get so cold people used to say the wind is really cold out side and its got a bit of a bite/nip so you better wrap up nice and tight, hence its abit nippy outside... i think.
2006-07-27 02:00:47 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Like the term "bit nippy" as in chilly? i think it has to do with when a woman gets cold, her nipples show...a man's does too by the way.
2006-07-27 01:59:06 · answer #5 · answered by tree 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I'm not sure if this is right but someone suggested that using the word "nippy" when implying that the weather is cold refers to the nipples as nipples go erect when they're cold.
So the phrase is really "it's a bit nipply today".
2006-07-27 01:58:40 · answer #6 · answered by k² 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A bit nippy is when a breast feeding baby gets his first tooth.
2006-07-27 02:00:48 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
because when your cold you get hard nipples so you have your nippy's pointing through your top, so your a bit nippy!
You can also say "tune me into radio one"
2006-07-27 02:00:56 · answer #8 · answered by pinktart2003 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mmmm, I'd say it's something to do with Jack Frost too. Pretty cold, if you get frostbite, if it's just a bit cold, you'd get a nip instead of a bite. Hence nippy instead of bitingly cold. Well, .......it's possible! lol
2006-07-27 02:08:17 · answer #9 · answered by Dick s 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When it is cold out, women's nipples get hard, therefore when you see a girl's nipples poking out, you say; "It must be a bit nippy outside huh?"
2006-07-27 01:59:57 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋