Knick vs. Nick: The Correct Spellings

Knick and nick might seem closely related due to their phonetic similarity, but only nick is the correct spelling. The word nick refers to a small cut or indentation on a surface. The term 'knick' is incorrect and likely a common misspelling due to pronunciation similarities. The term nick has its etymology traced back to Middle English, derived from an Old English word 'niccian,' meaning ‘to make a notch in.’

Remembering how to spell nick is straightforward, as it is a concise, one-syllable word. The incorrect variant, ‘knick,’ might arise from the phonetic addition of the ‘k,’ which is unnecessary. Always remember the simplicity of the correct form: nick.

Nick also has various meanings depending on the context, including to make a small cut, to steal, or to arrest, but ‘knick’ holds no such recognized meanings or uses in Standard English.

Incorrect: I found a small knick in the paint on my car.

Correct: I found a small nick in the paint on my car.

Incorrect: The glass had a tiny knick at the rim.

Correct: The glass had a tiny nick at the rim.

Incorrect: She loves collecting knick knacks from her travels.

Correct: She loves collecting nick knacks from her travels.

Incorrect: He arrived in the knick of time to catch the train.

Correct: He arrived in the nick of time to catch the train.

Nick refers to a small cut or indentation on a surface.

It can also mean to record the score or presence of something.

Nick is also a slang term meaning to steal.

In addition, nick can refer to the precise moment.

It can also denote the action of arresting someone.

A shallow notch, cut, or indentation on an edge or a surface

Chiefly British Slang A prison or police station.

(Printing) A groove down the side of a piece of type used to ensure that it is correctly placed.

To cut a nick or notch in.

To cut into and wound slightly

To cut short; check

To steal.

To arrest.

A small cut in a surface.

A particular place or point considered as marked by a nick; the exact point or critical moment.

A notch cut crosswise in the shank of a type, to assist a compositor in placing it properly in the stick, and in distribution.

Senses connoting something small.

(cricket) A small deflection of the ball off the edge of the bat, often going to the wicket-keeper for a catch.

(genetics) One of the single-stranded DNA segments produced during nick translation.

The point where the wall of the court meets the floor.

Often in the expressions in bad nick and in good nick: condition, state.

A police station or prison.

(Internet) nickname

(archaic) A nix or water]] spirit.

(transitive) To make a nick or notch in; to cut or scratch in a minor way.

(transitive) To make ragged or uneven, as by cutting nicks or notches in; to deface, to mar.

To make a crosscut or cuts on the underside of (the tail of a horse, in order to make the animal carry it higher).

To fit into or suit, as by a correspondence of nicks; to tally with.

To hit at, or in, the nick; to touch rightly; to strike at the precise point or time.

To hit the ball with the edge of the bat and produce a fine deflection.

To throw or turn up (a number when playing dice); to hit upon.

To make a cut at the side of the face.

To give or call (someone) by a nickname; to style.

An evil spirit of the waters.

A notch cut into something

A broken or indented place in any edge or surface; as, nicks in a china plate; a nick in the table top.

A particular point or place considered as marked by a nick; the exact point or critical moment.

To make a nick or nicks in; to notch; to keep count of or upon by nicks; as, to nick a stick, tally, etc.

To mar; to deface; to make ragged, as by cutting nicks or notches in; to create a nick{2} in, deliberately or accidentally; as, to nick the rim of a teacup.

To suit or fit into, as by a correspondence of nicks; to tally with.

To make a cross cut or cuts on the under side of (the tail of a horse, in order to make him carry it higher).

To nickname; to style.

an impression in a surface (as made by a blow)

a small cut

cut slightly, with a razor;

cut a nick into

divide or reset the tail muscles of;

mate successfully; of livestock

She managed to save the document in the nick of time.

The thief was caught in the nick of time before escaping.

He received a tiny nick from the sharp edge of the paper.

He was always good at arriving in the nick of time.

The key had a small nick, but it still worked.

The barber accidentally left a nick on his neck while shaving.

She found a nick in her favorite vase.

His timing was perfect, right in the nick of time.

Use a file to smooth out the nick in the metal.

The nick on the edge of the coin made it unique.

She applied a bandage to the nick on her finger.

He sold items found in the nick and cranny of his attic.

The nick in the gemstone reduced its value.

The goalie stopped the ball in the nick of time.

The car door had a noticeable nick after the shopping trip.

The nick in the record caused it to skip.

The police arrested the suspect in the nick of time.

They managed to finish the project in the nick of time.

The nick in the glass was barely noticeable.

The nick in the table was filled in with wood filler.

They repaired the nick in the countertop.

The antique mirror had a small nick in the frame.

Just before it's too late; at the last possible moment.

To be released from jail or prison.

A critical or precise moment when something happens.

Another way of saying "in the nick of time," emphasizing timeliness.

To maintain something in good condition.

To have evidence or suspicion that someone has committed a crime.

To receive punishment or reprimand.

To steal something.

A slang term for the devil or hell.

An Australian slang term meaning to go away or leave.

To ease a situation or reduce tension.

To save or accumulate money through careful spending.

To be put into jail.

In good condition.

A craving for a cigarette.

A situation or operation that goes smoothly without any problems.

To move or progress steadily or quietly.

The word nick has its roots in Middle English and is derived from the Old English word 'niccian,' meaning ‘to make a notch in.’

Yes, nick can be used as a verb, for example, to refer to making a small cut or stealing.

Yes, nick can refer to a small cut, the act of stealing, recording a score or presence, arresting someone, or denoting a precise moment.

Yes, especially when nick is used as slang for stealing or arresting, it is considered informal.

Yes, synonyms for nick in this context include pinch, pilfer, and swipe.

No, the spelling nick is standard in all dialects of English, and any variations like “knick” are incorrect.

Remembering the correct spelling as “nick” is usually straightforward due to its simplicity and short length, contrasting it with the incorrect “knick.”

No, the correct spelling is nick, with knick being an incorrect variant possibly due to mispronunciation.

Yes, knick is a common misspelling likely due to its phonetic similarity to the correct spelling, nick.

Yes, nick can be used as a noun to refer to a small cut or indentation and to denote a precise moment in time.