subs. and adj. (old cant).—Strong drink, especially ale. Also NIPPITATO and NIPPITATUM.
1575. Laneham’s Letter [NARES]. And ever quited himself with such estimation, az yet too tast of a cup of NIPPITATE, his judgment will be taken above the best in the parish, be hiz nose near so read.
1583. P. STUBBES, The Anatomie of Abuses [NARES]. Then when this NIPPITATUM, this huffe cappe, as they call it, this nectar of life, is set abroach, well is he that can get the soonest to it, and spend the most upon it.
1592. NASHE, Summer’s Last Will [DODSLEY, Old Plays, 1874, viii., 60]. Never cup of NIPITATY in London come near thy niggardly habitation.
1593. G. HARVEY, Pierce’s Supererogation [GROSART, Works, ii., 51]. The NIPPITATY of the nappiest grape; that infinitly surpasseth all the Inuention and Elocution in the world.
1594. Look About You, Sc. 21 [DODSLEY, Old Plays, 1874, vii., 445].
| He was here to-day, sir, | |
| And emptied two bottles of NIPPITATE sack. |
1600. The Weakest goeth to the Wall, B. 2. Well fare England, where the poore may have a pot of Ale for a penny, fresh Ale, firme Ale, nappie Ale, NIPPITATE Ale.
1611. BEAUMONT and FLETCHER, The Knight of the Burning Pestle, iv., 1.
| Ralph. Lady, ’tis true, you need not lay your lips | |
| To better NIPITATO than there is. |
1654. CHAPMAN, Alphonsus, iii., 1. ’Twill make a cup of wine taste NIPPITATE.
1891. FENNELL, Stanford Dictionary, s.v. NIPPITATUM, quasi-Lat.; NIPPITATO, quasi-It. … possibly connected with the Eng. vb. nip, = Du. nippen, ‘to take a dram.’
