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tip¹ Definition

tip (tip)

noun

  1. the pointed, tapering, or rounded end or top of something long and slim
  2. something attached to the end, as a cap, ferrule, etc.
  3. a top or apex, as of a mountain

Etymology: ME tippe, akin to MLowG tip, point, top, Ger zipf- in zipfel, an end, tip, prob. < IE base *dumb-, tail > Avestan duma-, tail

transitive verb tipped, tip·ping

  1. to make a tip on
  2. to cover the tip or tips of (with something)
  3. to serve as the tip of
  4. ☆ to remove the stems from (berries, etc.)

tip¹ Related Forms
tip·less adjective
tip¹ Idioms

tip in

to insert (a map, picture, etc.) by pasting along the inner edge in bookbinding

tip of the iceberg

a small difficulty, problem, misdeed, etc. that is thought to be only a part of one larger in scope

tip² Definition

tip (tip)

transitive verb tipped, tip·ping

  1. to strike lightly and sharply; tap
  2. to give a small present of money to (a waiter, porter, etc.) for some service
  3. Informal
    1. to give secret information to in an attempt to be helpful: often with off
    2. to reveal or divulge (a secret, plot, etc.)
  4. Baseball
    1. to hit (the ball) a glancing blow
    2. to glance off (the bat, glove, etc.)
  5. Sports to deflect or tap (a ball, puck, etc.) in a particular direction, esp. into a goal

Etymology: akin ? to tip

intransitive verb

to give a tip or tips

noun

  1. a light, sharp blow; tap
  2. a piece of secret information given confidentially in an attempt to be helpful a tip on the race
  3. a suggestion, hint, warning, etc.
  4. a small sum of money, often a percentage of the total billed, given to a waiter, porter, etc. for services; gratuity
  5. Sports a deflection or tap of the ball, puck, etc., esp. one that scores a goal

tip² Idioms

tip one's hand

or tip one's mitt☆

Slang to reveal a secret, one's plans, etc., often inadvertently

tip³ Definition

tip (tip)

transitive verb tipped, tip·ping

  1. to overturn or upset: often with over
  2. to cause to tilt or slant
  3. to raise slightly or touch the brim of (one's hat) in salutation

Etymology: ME tipen < ?

intransitive verb

  1. to tilt or slant
  2. to overturn or topple: often with over

noun

  1. a tipping or being tipped; tilt; slant
  2. Brit. a place for dumping rubbish, etc.; dump

tip³ Idioms

tip the scales

Etymology: see scale

to give an advantage to one possible outcome over another

tip the scales at

to weigh (a specified amount)

tip Synonyms

tip

n.

  1. The point

    apex, peak, top, summit, cap, nip, stub; see also point 2.

    Antonyms bottom*, middle*, body. *

  2. A gratuity

    reward, gift, compensation, fee, small change, money, lagniappe, pourboire (French), baksheesh, handout*, grease*, Boston quarter*; see also pay 2.

  3. *A bit of information

    hint, clue, warning, pointer, suggestion, inkling, whisper, inside information, advice, a word to the wise*, dope*, inside wire*, hot steer*, in*, bug*, bang*, buzz*; see also knowledge 1, news 1.

tip Synonyms

tip

v.

slant, incline, shift; see bend 1, lean 1, tilt 1.

tip Telecom Definition
The electrically positive (+) side of a cable pair.The tip side serves as the return path from the telephone to the central office (CO). See tip and ring.
tip Usage Examples

Object

  • balance: Sometimes all it takes is a small change in circumstances to tip the balance and turn a manageable situation into a debt problem.

Converse of object

  • bet: Explore the latest Horse Racing Systems, advice with betting tips using the fast links below!

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • over: During the folding of the slate beds they were tipped over to an angle of forty five degrees.

Adjective modifier

  • southern: Rock face is on the southern tip of the reef.
  • handy: But it also includes handy Net tips and even how to create and publish your own web pages.
  • top: Below are our top tips to help you to use less energy in your home.
  • useful: Here we provide some useful tips for doing just that, examining the salient points of each Article in the Act.
  • helpful: If you have trouble sleeping, find some helpful tips by clicking here.
  • northern: Grid handling is fixed to allow mapping to scroll to include the islands off the northern tip of Scotland.

Modifies a noun

  • pen: Copy Protected CDs ' cracked ' by sticky tape and a felt tip pen!

Noun used with modifier

  • finger: However, you don't actually need an ejector; CF cards are reasonably easy to extract using your finger tips.
  • rod: I looked round to see the rod tip almost taking on its full test curve.
  • insider: It teaches you the insider job interview tips that most interviewers dont want you to know.
  • gardening: Greenfingers Greenfingers is the leading UK online gardening store and resource offering gardeners advice and gardening tips.
  • wing: They often have black wing tips, but some individuals don't.

Preposition: of

  • iceberg: These figures are only the tip of a vast iceberg.
  • snout: The creatures also have a short horn on the tip of the snout.
  • finger: Here one uses the hands, especially the tips of the fingers, to feel the path and intention of the opponent's movements.
  • tail: Features lifelike animation from top of head to tip of tail.

Preposition: for

  • useage: No Do you have any hot tips for useage with this item?
tip Quotes

   What money is better bestowed than that of a school- boy's tip?

—Thackeray,William Makepeace

I never mentioned a man but with the view Of selling my own works. The tip's a good one, as for literature It gives no man a sinecure.

—Pound, Ezra Loomis

I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig- tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked.One fig was a husband and a happy home and children, and another fig was a famous poet†I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig-tree, starving to death, just because I couldn't make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet.

—Plath, Sylvia

Browse dictionary entries near tip

  1. -tious
  2. -tion
  3. tiny
  4. tinwork
  5. tinware
  6. tintype
  7. Tintoretto
  8. tintinnabulation
  9. tintinnabulary
  10. tinted
  1. tip and ring
  2. tip cart
  3. tip-in
  4. tip-off
  5. tip ring sleeve
  6. tipcat
  7. tipi
  8. tipoff
  9. Tippecanoe
  10. tipper