pip

1
[ pip ]
See synonyms for pip on Thesaurus.com
noun

  1. one of the spots on dice, playing cards, or dominoes: You need to match the two pips on this domino with two pips on one of your dominoes.

  2. each of the small segments into which the surface of a pineapple is divided: Cut off the top of the pineapple, slicing through the first row of pips.

  1. Informal. metal insigne of rank on the shoulders of commissioned officers: the museum's collection of German pips and buttons.

  2. Horticulture.

    • an individual rootstock of a plant, especially of the lily of the valley: This low-growing perennial forms dense clumps from its slender pips.

    • a portion of the rootstock or root of several other plants: The peony's pips are those budlike growths at the top of the tuber.

Origin of pip

1
First recorded in 1590–1600; earlier peep; origin uncertain

Other definitions for pip (2 of 7)

pip2
[ pip ]
noun

  1. Veterinary Pathology: Older Use. a contagious disease of birds, especially poultry, characterized by the secretion of a thick mucus in the mouth and throat: The last thing they wanted to find in the henhouse was a chicken with pip.

  2. Facetious.Usually the pip . any minor or unspecified ailment in a person: Oh, no, not that annoying neighbor—he gives me the pip.

Origin of pip

2
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English pippe, from Middle Dutch, from unattested Vulgar Latin pipita, for Latin pītuīta “phlegm, pip”

Other definitions for pip (3 of 7)

pip3
[ pip ]
noun

  1. a small seed, especially of a fleshy fruit, as an apple or orange: Does the juicer remove the pips or just grind them up?

  2. Also called pipperoo. Informal. someone or something wonderful: Last night's party was a pip.

Origin of pip

3
First recorded in 1590–1600; 1910–15 for def. 2; short for pippin

Other definitions for pip (4 of 7)

pip4
[ pip ]
verb (used without object),pipped, pip·ping.

  1. to peep or chirp: Listen to those chicks pip!

  2. (of a hatching bird) to break out from the shell: How long before the eaglets start pipping?

verb (used with object),pipped, pip·ping.

  1. to crack or chip a hole through (the shell), as a hatching bird: All but one of the new brood has pipped through their shells.

Origin of pip

4
First recorded in 1650–60; variant of peep2

Other definitions for pip (5 of 7)

pip5
[ pip ]
nounElectronics.

  1. blip (def. 1): observing the radar screen for unusual pips.

Origin of pip

5
First recorded in 1940–45; imitative

Other definitions for pip (6 of 7)

pip6
[ pip ]
verb (used with object),pipped, pip·ping.British Slang.

  1. to blackball: Are you telling me I've been pipped from the entire music industry?

  2. to defeat (an opponent): No one expected our team to pip those hotshots from Birmingham.

  1. to shoot, especially to wound or kill by a gunshot: Get that pistol out of here before someone gets pipped.

Origin of pip

6
First recorded in 1875–80; perhaps special use of pip1, in metaphorical sense of a small ball

Other definitions for Pip (7 of 7)

Pip
[ pip ]
noun

  1. a male given name, form of Philip.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use pip in a sentence

  • The pips of the fruit are large, often an inch over; and it attains a large size, weighing from three to four pounds.

  • You first premise that the ace counts for eleven; the court cards ten each; and the others according to the number of their pips.

British Dictionary definitions for pip (1 of 4)

pip1

/ (pɪp) /

noun

  1. the seed of a fleshy fruit, such as an apple or pear

  2. any of the segments marking the surface of a pineapple

  1. a rootstock or flower of the lily of the valley or certain other plants

Origin of pip

1
C18: short for pippin

British Dictionary definitions for pip (2 of 4)

pip2

/ (pɪp) /

noun

  1. a short high-pitched sound, a sequence of which can act as a time signal, esp on radio

  2. a radar blip

    • a spot or single device, such as a spade, diamond, heart, or club on a playing card

    • any of the spots on dice or dominoes

  2. Also called: star informal the emblem worn on the shoulder by junior officers in the British Army, indicating their rank

verbpips, pipping or pipped

  1. (of a young bird)

    • (intr) to chirp; peep

    • to pierce (the shell of its egg) while hatching

  2. (intr) to make a short high-pitched sound

Origin of pip

2
C16 (in the sense: spot or speck); C17 (vb); C20 (in the sense: short high-pitched sound): of obscure, probably imitative origin; senses 1 and 5 are probably related to peep ²

British Dictionary definitions for pip (3 of 4)

pip3

/ (pɪp) /

noun

  1. a contagious disease of poultry characterized by the secretion of thick mucus in the mouth and throat

  2. facetious, slang a minor human ailment

  1. British, Australian, NZ and Southern African slang a bad temper or depression (esp in the phrase give (someone) the pip)

  2. get the pip or have the pip NZ informal to sulk

verbpips, pipping or pipped

  1. British slang to cause to be annoyed or depressed

Origin of pip

3
C15: from Middle Dutch pippe, ultimately from Latin pituita phlegm; see pituitary

British Dictionary definitions for pip (4 of 4)

pip4

/ (pɪp) /

verbpips, pipping or pipped (tr) British slang

  1. to wound or kill, esp with a gun

  2. to defeat (a person), esp when his success seems certain (often in the phrase pip at the post)

  1. to blackball or ostracize

Origin of pip

4
C19 (originally in the sense: to blackball): probably from pip ²

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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