blip

American  

[blip] / blɪp /

noun

1. Also called pip.  Electronics.

   1. a spot of light on a radar screen indicating the position of a plane, submarine, or other object.

   2. (loosely) any small spot of light on a display screen.

2. a brief upturn, as in revenue or income.

   The midwinter blip was no cause for optimism among store owners.

3. anything small, as in amount or number.

   a blip of light; Those opposed were merely a blip in the opinion polls.

4. bleep.

5. Slang. a nickel; five cents.

6. Movies. a mark of synchronization on a sound track.

7. a small or brief interruption, as in the continuity of a motion-picture film or the supply of light or electricity.

   There were blips in the TV film where the commercials had been edited out.

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verb (used without object)

blipped, blipping

1. Informal. to move or proceed in short, irregular, jerking movements.

   The stock market has blipped one point higher this week.

verb (used with object)

blipped, blipping

1. bleep.

blip British  

/ blɪp /

noun

1. a repetitive sound, such as that produced by an electronic device, by dripping water, etc

2. Also called: pip.  the spot of light or a sharply peaked pulse on a radar screen indicating the position of an object

3. a temporary irregularity recorded in performance of something

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verb

1. (intr) to produce such a noise

Etymology

Origin of blip

1890–95, for an earlier sense; sound symbolism, with p for brevity and abrupt end of the impulse; bl- perhaps from blink

Example Sentences

Joan’s decision should conceivably be easy; obviously, you’d choose to spend eternity with the person you were married to for six decades as opposed to someone you were married to for a blip.

From Salon

What most generously believed was a blip, based on the compelling evidence of Slot's first title-winning campaign last season, is now a full-blown crisis for Liverpool and their beleaguered head coach.

From BBC

If they do, the latest selloff is likely to be one more blip in the AI boom.

From Barron's

"I asked a doctor what had happened, he said there was a blip with his breathing, he was tired and needed a rest," he said.

From BBC

Automated software looks for moving blips of light, checks them against possible false positives like subatomic particles from space zapping the detector, oversensitive pixels, and the like.

From Scientific American

Related Words

• glitch