dip into

British  

verb

1. to draw (upon)

   he dipped into his savings

2. to read (passages) at random or cursorily in (a book, newspaper, etc)

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dip into Idioms  

1. Investigate superficially, as in He began to dip into Chaucer , or She's just dipping into psychology . This expression alludes to plunging briefly into a liquid. [Late 1600s]

2. Withdraw something in small amounts, usually money, as in I'll have to dip into my savings . This usage employs dip into in the sense of plunging one's hand or a ladle into a pot, water, or the like for the purpose of taking something out. [Early 1800s]

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Example Sentences

Dip into their catching depth, grab a Diego Cartaya.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 18, 2023

Dip into as many sports as she’s willing to try.

From Slate • Jun. 24, 2021

Dip into this gallery in the American Wing, and you’ll get a bit of a reprieve from the crowds.

From New York Times • Nov. 28, 2019

Dip into reserves, cut school days, reallocate teachers and increase class sizes, as The Oregonian/OregonLive’s Eder Campuzano reported.

From Washington Times • Apr. 3, 2019

Dip into this mixture, slips of moderately thin linen, and let them dry; or spread it thin and evenly over them.—The following is a highly esteemed method of curing scalds or burns.

From The Cook and Housekeeper's Complete and Universal Dictionary; Including a System of Modern Cookery, in all Its Various Branches, Adapted to the Use of Private Families by Eaton, Mary, fl. 1823-1849