flip

¹ American  

[flip] / flɪp /

verb (used with object)

flipped, flipping

1. to toss or put in motion with a sudden impulse, as with a snap of a finger and thumb, especially so as to cause to turn over in the air.

   to flip a coin.

2. to move (something) suddenly or jerkily.

3. to turn over, especially with a short rapid gesture.

   to flip pancakes with a spatula.

4. to cause to switch from one political party or candidate to another.

   Republicans flipped the Senate and increased their majority in the House.

5. Slang.

   1. to provide incriminating evidence about (an associate or accomplice); inform on.

      I only work with people I know won’t flip me.

   2. to turn into an informer.

      The prosecutor will try to flip the defendant in exchange for a reduced sentence.

6. to buy and sell (real estate or another asset) for a quick profit.

   The buyer flipped the house for double what he paid for it, just nine months after renovations were completed.

7. to change (an opinion, stance, or way of thinking).

   Federal courts had ruled the practice unconstitutional, but an appeals judge flipped the decision.

8. Slang. to make (someone) insane, irrational, angry, or highly excited (usually followed byout ).

9. Finance. to resell, especially quickly, or to refinance, as a mortgage loan.

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verb (used without object)

flipped, flipping

1. to make a flicking movement; strike at something smartly or sharply; snap.

2. to move oneself with or as if with flippers.

   The seals flipped along the beach.

3. to move with a jerk or jerks.

4. to turn over or perform a somersault in the air.

5. to switch from one political party or candidate to another: Last November, most state legislatures saw fewer than five seats flip one way or the other.

   Formerly Democratic, our state has flipped to become red.

   Last November, most state legislatures saw fewer than five seats flip one way or the other.

6. Slang to provide incriminating evidence about an associate or accomplice; inform on.

   They wanted me to flip on the guy who sold me the drugs.

7. to change one’s opinion, stance, or way of thinking.

   The CEO has been accused of flipping on the issue of employee vacation time.

8. to shift from one state, position, etc., to another.

   My mood seems to flip 180 degrees without any obvious triggers.

9. Slang.

   1. to react to something in an excited, astonished, or delighted manner.

      He really flipped over his new girlfriend.

   2. to become insane, irrational, angry, or highly excited (often followed byout ).

noun

1. an instance of flipping; a smart tap or strike.

2. a sudden jerk.

3. a somersault, especially one performed in the air.

   a back flip off the diving board.

4. Cards. a variety of seven-card stud in which each player receives the first four cards facedown and selects two of them to expose before receiving the next card.

5. Slang. flip side.

idioms

1. flip one's lid / wig, lid.

2. flip (someone) the bird, give (someone) the finger.

flip ² American  

[flip] / flɪp /

adjective

Informal.

flipper, flippest

1. flippant; pert.

   She answered with a flip remark.

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flip ³ American  

[flip] / flɪp /

noun

1. a mixed drink made with liquor or wine, sugar, and egg, topped with powdered nutmeg and served hot or cold.

2. a drink, popular especially in the 18th century, made with beer or ale mixed with rum or other liquor, sweetened and served hot.

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flip British  

/ flɪp /

verb

1. to throw (something light or small) carelessly or briskly; toss

   he flipped me an envelope

2. to throw or flick (an object such as a coin) so that it turns or spins in the air

3. to propel by a sudden movement of the finger; flick

   to flip a crumb across the room

4. (foll by through) to read or look at (a book, newspaper, etc) quickly, idly, or incompletely

5. (intr) (of small objects) to move or bounce jerkily

6. (intr) to make a snapping movement or noise with the finger and thumb

7. slang (intr) to fly into a rage or an emotional outburst (also in the phrases flip one's lid, flip one's top, flip out )

8. slang (intr) to become ecstatic or very excited

   he flipped over the jazz group

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noun

1. a snap or tap, usually with the fingers

2. a rapid jerk

3. a somersault, esp one performed in the air, as in a dive, rather than from a standing position

4. same as nog 1

adjective

1. informal impertinent, flippant, or pert

Usage

Where does flip come from? When it comes to studying the origins of words, it’s easy to overlook—and take for granted—everyday, unassuming words, like flip. But oftentimes, the story behind these most basic of words can provide great insights into how words work.Flip is first recorded around 1585–95. It appears to be related to, and may even be a contraction of, the word fillip. This word means “to strike with the nail of a finger snapped from the end of the thumb.” Compared to flip, fillip is less common but older, recorded around 1425–75.While the ultimate origin of fillip is unknown, etymologists think the word is what’s called expressive. While imitative words evoke the actual sound of a word being defined (boom), the sound of expressive words can conjure up a particular emotion, sensation, shape, movement, and so on. So, a word like fillip evokes the movement involved in the action of fillipping.Try flipping—or filliping—your thumb and index finger. Can you hear how the words evoke such finger flicking? And use of the word flick is no accident here. Flick is very similar in sense and form, imitating the sound of flicking something.Dig deeperLike flick, the word flip also brings to mind flop, as in flip-flop and its variant, flip-flap. Flop itself originates as a variant of flap. Flip-flops, like the kind of sandals you might wear at the pool, are so named for the sound they make when you walk in them.Flip, flap, flop, flick—the initial cluster, fl-, in English is associated with flittering, fluttering, flitting motion. This relationship between the sound fl- and the meaning of unsteady movement is called sound symbolism.Sound symbolism is the “nonarbitrary connection between phonetic features of linguistic items and their meanings, as in the frequent occurrence of close vowels in words denoting smallness, as petite and teeny-weeny.”One commonly cited example of sound symbolism in English is how many words dealing with light begin with the cluster gl-: glance, glare, glimmer, glitter, and glimpse, to name a few. Can you think of other words to add to this list?One the most familiar forms of sound symbolism is onomatopoeia, the formation of a word, as cuckoo, meow, honk, or boom, by imitation of a sound made by or associated with its referent.

Etymology

Origin of flip¹

First recorded in 1585–95; 1955–60 flip ¹ for def. 18; fillip

Origin of flip¹

First recorded in 1840–50; adjective use of flip ¹

Origin of flip¹

First recorded in 1690–1700; perhaps noun use of flip ¹, so called from tossing or flipping of ingredients in preparation

Example Sentences

The major indexes flipped between gains and losses all morning.

From Barron's

Running back Mark Fletcher was committed to play for the Buckeyes a few years ago before flipping to Miami to stay closer to home.

From The Wall Street Journal

Even as the best films of 2025 linger in memory — it truly was a good year — we’re not sorry to flip the calendar page.

From Los Angeles Times

You might need to scroll through the table for flip your screen to landscape mode to see all the data, including the percentages of insider ownership in the rightmost column.

From MarketWatch

That narrative may have been flipped on its head with recent economic data showing growth that may temper stimulus hopes.

From Barron's