tipple

[tip-uh l]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR tipple ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object), tip·pled, tip·pling.

to drink intoxicating liquor, especially habitually or to some excess.

verb (used with object), tip·pled, tip·pling.

to drink (intoxicating liquor), especially repeatedly, in small quantities.

noun

intoxicating liquor.

Origin of tipple

1490–1500; back formation from Middle English tipeler tapster, equivalent to tipel- tap² (cognate with Dutch tepel teat) + -er -er¹; cf. tipsy

Related formsun·tip·pled, adjective

tipple

[tip-uh l]

noun

a device that tilts or overturns a freight car to dump its contents.

a place where loaded cars are emptied by tipping.

Mining. a structure where coal is cleaned and loaded in railroad cars or trucks.

Origin of tipple

1875–80, Americanism; noun use of dial. tipple to tumble, frequentative of tip²; see -le

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for tipple

imbibe, booze, liquor, grog

Examples from the Web for tipple

Historical Examples of tipple

But Charley, my hearty, we are getting on slowly with the tipple; are they all empty?
Charles O'Malley, The Irish Dragoon, Volume 1 (of 2)
Charles Lever
And the beauty of our tipple now is,” said Bob, “that it never does a fellow the least harm.
The Kopje Garrison
George Manville Fenn
He cannot enjoy his own tipple unless he can deprive me of mine.
Gryll Grange
Thomas Love Peacock
The moment he has tossed off the tipple, he begins tinkling.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 66, No. 410, December 1849
Various
Sandeman's '48—the tipple you and I have tasted together for many a year.
Afterwards
Ian Maclaren

British Dictionary definitions for tipple

tipple

verb

to make a habit of taking (alcoholic drink), esp in small quantities

noun

alcoholic drink

Derived Formstippler, noun

Word Origin for tipple

C15: back formation from obsolete tippler tapster, of unknown origin

tipple

noun

a device for overturning ore trucks, mine cars, etc, so that they discharge their load

a place at which such trucks are tipped and unloaded

verb

Northern English dialect to fall or cause to fall

Word Origin for tipple

C19: from tipple to overturn, from tip 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

Word Origin and History for tipple

1530s, "sell alcoholic liquor by retail," of unknown origin, possibly from a Scandinavian source (e.g. Norwegian dialectal tipla "to drink slowly or in small quantities"). Meaning "drink (alcoholic beverage) too much" is first attested 1550s. Related: Tippled; tippling.