to nick the nick
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To hit the exact moment. Tallies used to be called "nicksticks." Hence, to make a record of anything is "to nick it down," as publicans nick a score on a tally.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to nick the nick” mean?
To hit the exact moment. Tallies used to be called "nicksticks." Hence, to make a record of anything is "to nick it down," as publicans nick a score on a tally.
Is “to nick the nick” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.