nimble

English

Etymology

From Middle English nymel, nemel (“capable”), merger of Old English nǣmel (“receptive, quick to grasp”) and Old English numol (“able to take, capable of holding”), both from niman (“to take”) + -el, -ol (associative suffix). Compare German nehmen Gothic 𐌽𐌹𐌼𐌰𐌽 (niman), Old Norse nema (“to take”). More at nim.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɪmbəl

Adjective

nimble (comparative nimbler, superlative nimblest)

1. Quick and light in movement or action.

   He was too nimble for the assailant and easily escaped his grasp.

2. Quick-witted and alert.

   She has a nimble mind and can improvise in any situation.

Translations

quick and light in movement or action

Dutch: behendig (nl), wendbaar (nl), lichtvoetig (nl) Finnish: ketterä (fi), vikkelä (fi) French: agile (fr) m. and f., fulgurant (fr) m., preste (fr) m. and f. German: schnell (de), gelenkig (de), behänd (de), flink (de), wendig (de) Greek: ευκίνητος (el) (efkinitos), σβέλτος (el) (sveltos) Hungarian: fürge (hu), hajlékony (hu), gyors (hu)

Italian: agile (it), leggero (it), svelto (it) Norwegian: kjapp (no), rask (no) Portuguese: ágil (pt) Scots: leish Spanish: ágil (es) Turkish: atik (tr), çevik (tr), açıkgöz (tr), çabukluk (tr)

quick-witted and alert

Dutch: alert (nl),gevat (nl),spits (nl) Finnish: nopeaälyinen (fi), valpas (fi) French: vif (fr) m., vive (fr) f. Greek: εύστροφος (el) (efstrofos) Hungarian: okos (hu), ötletes (hu)

Italian: intelligente (it), versatile (it), sveglio (it), pronto (it) Norwegian: rask (no) Portuguese: ágil (pt), esperto (pt) Spanish: hábil (es)