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flip1

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

verb (flips, flipping, flipped)

  • 1turn over or cause to turn over with a sudden sharp movement: [with object]:the yacht was flipped by a huge wave [no object]:the plane flipped over and then exploded
  • 2 [with object] move, push, or throw (something) with a sudden sharp movement:she flipped off her dark glasses she flipped a few coins onto the bar
  • turn (an electrical appliance or switch) on or off:he flipped a switch and the front door opened
  • toss (a coin) to decide an issue:given those odds, one may as well flip a coin [no object]:you want to flip for it?
  • 3 [no object] informal suddenly lose control or become very angry:he had clearly flipped under the pressure
  • suddenly become very enthusiastic:I walked into a store, saw the guitar on the wall, and just flipped
  • 4 [with object] buy and sell (something, especially real estate or shares) quickly to make a profit:within one week of starting I flipped a property for a quick $3,000 profit
  • 5 [no object] informal become an informer:when he was taken in by the investigators, he flipped immediately
  • [with object] persuade to become an informer:the prosecutors won’t be able to flip any witnesses to testify against the ex-CEO

noun

  • 1a sudden sharp movement:the fish made little leaps and flips
  • (a flip through) a quick look or search through a volume or a collection of papers:a quick flip through my cookbooks
  • 2British informal a quick tour or pleasure trip:I did a flip round the post-show party
    [derived from an earlier sense 'short flight in an aircraft']

adjective

  • glib; flippant:he couldn’t get away with flip, funny conversation

exclamation

  • used to express mild annoyance.

Phrases

flip one's lid (or one's wig)

informal suddenly become deranged or lose one’s self-control.

Phrasal Verbs

flip through

look or search quickly through (a volume or a collection of papers):just flip through the phone book and pick a lawyer

Origin:

mid 16th century (as a verb in the sense 'make a flick with the finger and thumb'): probably a contraction of fillip

flip in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of flip in the British & World English dictionary
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