Subscriber login


Forgot your password?

Library card login

Other

tip2

Syllabification: (tip)
Pronunciation: /tip/
Translate tip | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of tip

verb (tips, tipping, tipped)

  • 1overbalance or cause to overbalance so as to fall or turn over: [no object]:the hay caught fire when the candle tipped over [with object]:a youth sprinted past, tipping over her glass
  • be or cause to be in a sloping position with one end or side higher than the other: [with object]:I tipped my seat back, preparing myself for sleep [no object]:the car had tipped to one side
  • 2 [with object] strike or touch lightly:I tipped his hoof with the handle of a knife
  • [with object] cause (an object) to move somewhere by striking or touching it in this way:the ball was tipped over the rim by Erving
  • 3 [no object] (tip off) Basketball put the ball in play by throwing it up between two opponents.

noun

  • 1British a place where trash is deposited; a dump.
  • 2 Baseball a pitched ball that is slightly deflected by the bat.

Phrases

tip one's hand

North American informal reveal one’s intentions inadvertently.

tip one's hat (or cap)

raise or touch one’s hat or cap as a way of greeting or acknowledging someone.

tip the scales (or balance)

(of a circumstance or event) be the deciding factor; make the critical difference:her proven current form tips the scales in her favor

tip the scales at

have a weight of (a specified amount):this phone tips the scales at only 5 ounces

Origin:

late Middle English: perhaps of Scandinavian origin, influenced later by tip1 in the sense 'touch with a tip or point' Current senses of the noun date from the mid 19th century

tip in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of tip in the British & World English dictionary
  |  Cite
Oxford Dictionaries Pro

For Oxford's best resources for writers, plus thesaurus, audio, and 1.9m examples.

Shop for an Oxford dictionary

Find the perfect Oxford dictionary for you in our online shop.
SHOP NOW ►

Word of the day

cur

/ kəː /
noun
an aggressive or unkempt dog …