dip into
Britishverb
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to draw (upon)
he dipped into his savings
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to read (passages) at random or cursorily in (a book, newspaper, etc)
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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]
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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]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Bown and Keynes dip into the world of “preppers” to make a pointed observation: knowing when a genuine crisis is coming, and when to build or draw down strategic reserves, is fiendishly hard for governments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026
That would make Brits more reluctant to dip into their pockets to buy stocks, even though there’s plenty of dry powder—the household savings ratio stood at 9.9% in the fourth quarter of 2025.
From Barron's ● May 29, 2026
Is now a good time to dip into our savings?
From MarketWatch ● May 22, 2026
For a little extra flair toast some baguette wedges to dip into the savory mixture.
From Salon ● May 22, 2026
The shift in weight caused the ice floe to dip into the black water, and Jack fell back down.
From "Breadcrumbs" by Anne Ursu
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
