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• tip-off
  tip-off

  noun

  the act of tipping off.
• tip off
  tip off

  Supply with secret or private information; also, warn or alert. For example, The broker often tipped her off about stocks about to go down in price, or Somehow they were tipped off and left the country before the police could catch them. [Colloquial; late 1800s]

tip-off

American  

[tip-awf, -of] / ˈtɪpˌɔf, -ˌɒf /

noun

Informal.

1. the act of tipping off.

2. a hint or warning.

   They got a tip-off on the raid.

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tip-off British  

noun

1. a warning or hint, esp given confidentially and based on inside information

2. basketball the act or an instance of putting the ball in play by a jump ball

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verb

1. (tr, adverb) to give a hint or warning to

tip off Idioms  

1. Supply with secret or private information; also, warn or alert. For example, The broker often tipped her off about stocks about to go down in price, or Somehow they were tipped off and left the country before the police could catch them. [Colloquial; late 1800s]

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Etymology

Origin of tip-off

First recorded in 1910–15; noun use of verb phrase tip off

Example Sentences

If trends for Game 4 follow the previous games in the series, prices will continue to drop as tip-off comes closer.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026

Another tip-off for me about our friendship was that he never mentioned politics or religion.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026

In a post on the Facebook page of the James Bulger Memorial Trust charity, his family said they had "found the 2 vandalised cherub heads" following a tip-off.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026

Redick said Friday he expected James could return against the Knicks, but he was ruled out shortly before tip-off.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2026

We ran our warm-up drills and then sat down to wait for the tip-off.

From "Slam!" by Walter Dean Myers