tip

¹

[ tip ]

noun

1. a slender or pointed end or extremity, especially of anything long or tapered:

   the tips of the fingers.

2. the top, summit, or apex:

   the tip of the mountain.

3. a small piece or part, as of metal or leather, forming or covering the extremity of something:

   a cane with a rubber tip.

4. Also called tip-in [tip, -in],. an insert, as an illustration, map, or errata slip, pasted to a page of a book, magazine, etc., usually along the binding margin.
5. a small, delicate tool made of fine hair cemented between two cards, for applying gold leaf.

verb (used with object)

, tipped, tip·ping.

1. to furnish with a tip.
2. to serve as or form the tip of.
3. to mark or adorn the tip of.
4. to remove the tip or stem of (berries or certain fruits or vegetables).
5. to frost the ends of (hair strands):

   I'm having my hair cut and tipped tomorrow.

verb phrase

1. Bookbinding. to paste the inner margin of (a map, illustration, or other plate) into a signature before gathering.

tip

²

[ tip ]

verb (used with object)

, tipped, tip·ping.

1. to cause to assume a slanting or sloping position; incline; tilt.
2. to overturn, upset, or overthrow (often followed by over ).
3. to remove or lift (one's hat or cap) in salutation.
4. British. to empty out (contents) from a container by tilting; dump: Tip the batter into a rectangular baking dish.

   The dustmen tipped the rubbish on the municipal dump.

   Tip the batter into a rectangular baking dish.

verb (used without object)

, tipped, tip·ping.

1. to assume a slanting or sloping position; incline.
2. to tilt up at one end and down at the other; slant.
3. to be overturned or upset:

   The car tipped into the ditch.

4. to tumble or topple (usually followed by over ):

   The lamp on the table tipped over.

noun

1. the act of tipping.
2. the state of being tipped.
3. British.
   1. a dump for refuse, as that from a mine.
   2. Informal. an untidy place, especially a room:

      They must have packed and left in a rush, because the place is an absolute tip.

tip

³

[ tip ]

noun

1. a small present of money given directly to someone for performing a service or menial task; gratuity:

   He gave the waiter a dollar as a tip.

2. a piece of private or secret information, as for use in betting, speculating, or writing a news story:

   a tip from a bookie.

3. a useful hint or idea; a basic, practical fact:

   tips on painting.

   Synonyms: pointer, suggestion

verb (used with object)

, tipped, tip·ping.

1. to give a gratuity to.

verb (used without object)

, tipped, tip·ping.

1. to give a gratuity:

   She tipped lavishly.

verb phrase

1. Informal.
   1. to supply with private or secret information; inform.
   2. to warn of impending danger or trouble; caution beforehand:

      The moonshiners had been tipped off that they were about to be raided.

tip

⁴

[ tip ]

noun

1. a light, smart blow; tap.
2. Baseball. a batted ball that glances off the bat. Compare foul tip.

verb (used with object)

, tipped, tip·ping.

1. to strike or hit with a light, smart blow; tap.
2. Baseball. to strike (the ball) with a glancing blow.

tip

¹

/ tɪp /

noun

1. the extreme end of something, esp a narrow or pointed end
2. the top or summit
3. a small piece forming an extremity or end

   a metal tip on a cane

verb

1. to adorn or mark the tip of
2. to cause to form a tip

tip

²

/ tɪp /

noun

1. a payment given for services in excess of the standard charge; gratuity
2. a helpful hint, warning, or other piece of information
3. a piece of inside information, esp in betting or investing

verb

1. to give a tip to (a person)

tip

³

/ tɪp /

verb

1. to hit or strike lightly
2. to hit (a ball) indirectly so that it glances off the bat in cricket

noun

1. a light blow
2. a glancing hit in cricket

tip

⁴

/ tɪp /

verb

1. to tilt or cause to tilt
2. usually foll byover or up to tilt or cause to tilt, so as to overturn or fall
3. to dump (rubbish, etc)
4. tip one's hat
   to take off, raise, or touch one's hat in salutation

noun

1. the act of tipping or the state of being tipped
2. a dump for refuse, etc

Derived Forms

• ˈtipless, adjective
• ˈtippable, adjective

Other Words From

• tipless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tip¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English; compare Dutch, Low German, Danish tip, Swedish tipp, German zipf- in Zipfel “tip”

Origin of tip²

First recorded in 1300–50; earlier tipen, Middle English typen “to upset, overturn”

Origin of tip³

First recorded in 1600–10; perhaps special use of tip ⁴

Origin of tip⁴

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English (noun); perhaps from Low German; compare German tippen “to tap,” from Low German

Word History and Origins

Origin of tip¹

C15: from Old Norse typpa; related to Middle Low German, Middle Dutch tip

Origin of tip²

C18: perhaps from tip ⁴

Origin of tip³

C13: perhaps from Low German tippen

Origin of tip⁴

C14: of uncertain origin; related to top ¹, topple

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. tip one's hand, to reveal one's plans, true feelings, etc., often unintentionally.

More idioms and phrases containing tip

• from head (tip) to toe
• on the tip of one's tongue

Example Sentences

Like this “The Ultimate Agency Guide to Video Marketing” landing page, where everyone can download a guide with helpful tips on video marketing.

From Search Engine Watch

On Twitter, you will find GoPro product announcements while their YouTube channel has video tutorials and tips.

From Search Engine Watch

In a B2B context, we are seeing people searching for lockdown tips on how best to work from home, business owners are searching for ways to prepare to get back to normality and people want to know what the office of the future looks like.

From Search Engine Watch

Perhaps your team can spend time developing on-site content with actionable “how-to” tips that are relevant to your industry.

From Search Engine Watch

That’s not to slander machine learning, but nature may have a tip or two to improve the situation.

From Singularity Hub 

Earlier this year, security at major airports was tightened because of a tip that al-Asiri had been working on a cell phone bomb.

From The Daily Beast

In total, officers said 600 emails or tip-offs had been received by more than 40 officers working on Operation Fairbank.

From The Daily Beast

Tip: The narrower upper deck in coach is the better choice because its eight-seat rows cannot be extended.

From The Daily Beast

One explanation for why the White House was not interested was so as not to tip off Sunni insurgents in Iraq.

From The Daily Beast

Servers and restaurant owners occasionally shame those who drastically under-tip.

From The Daily Beast

The best pipet is a small glass tube which has been drawn out at one end to a tip with rather small opening.

From Project Gutenberg

Tip wore leaky boots all last winter, but when spring came he bought Mrs. Pulsifer a sewing machine.

From Project Gutenberg

Mrs. Kaye's expressive eyes, which had dwelt on Isabel with flattering attention, fell to the tip of her cigarette.

From Project Gutenberg

The blood is obtained from the finger-tip or the lobe of the ear, as for a blood count; only a very small drop is required.

From Project Gutenberg

It should be of rather large caliber, and have an opening in the tip and one or two in the side near the tip.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bend
• dump
• lean
• spill
• tilt
• topple
• upset