Source etymology 1
Original entry ↗adj
Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventoryEasy.
Origin uncertain. Probably from the plural of nimp (“a small piece, fragment, bit”), perhaps in a phrase those are nimps "those are small bits", hence "that's easy". If so then cognate with Scots nimp (“a very small piece”); both from or akin to Middle English nimpen (“to chew, gnaw, take a bite, nibble”), likely a blend of nim + nip. Compare also related English nimble (“agile, quick”).
Relationships mentioned by the source
These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.
Inspect preserved source fields
Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.
{
"templates": [
{
"name": "unc",
"args": {
"1": "en",
"nocap": "1"
},
"expansion": "uncertain"
},
{
"name": "cog",
"args": {
"1": "sco",
"2": "nimp",
"t": "a very small piece"
},
"expansion": "Scots nimp (“a very small piece”)"
},
{
"name": "der",
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "nimpen",
"t": "to chew, gnaw, take a bite, nibble"
},
"expansion": "Middle English nimpen (“to chew, gnaw, take a bite, nibble”)"
},
{
"name": "blend",
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "nim",
"3": "nip",
"nocap": "1"
},
"expansion": "blend of nim + nip"
},
{
"name": "cog",
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "nimble",
"t": "agile, quick"
},
"expansion": "English nimble (“agile, quick”)"
}
],
"links": [
[
"nimp",
"nimp#English"
],
[
"nimp",
"nimp#Scots"
],
[
"nimpen",
"nimpen#Middle_English"
],
[
"nim",
"nim#English"
],
[
"nip",
"nip#English"
],
[
"nimble",
"nimble#English"
]
],
"references": [],
"descendants": [],
"lexical": [
{
"pos": "adj",
"glosses": [
"Easy."
],
"tags": [
"Northern-England"
],
"recordId": "ae634d28b9352f3d99d5e8616c2293463661fdae46dd0f8a038078d4dbf6d5e0",
"rawRecordSha256": "f05e8753fa76d19edb02980ec96609c34946eefc9a71cb11631e00375517d07b",
"sourceRecordOrdinal": 7879001
}
],
"omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
"templates": 0,
"links": 0,
"references": 0,
"descendants": 0,
"lexicalRecords": 0,
"lexicalSenses": 0,
"glosses": 0
}
}