We asked, what does “nibbling” mean and where did the term originate?

Nibbling, typically  refers to taking small bites out of a tasty treat, but in the sailing world it refers to the pointed shapes of the ends of certain deck planks.

According to John G. Rogers’ Origins of Sea Terms these pointed ends are made to fit either the kingplank or the covering boards.  The origins come from the Anglo-Saxon nebb, beak.