tipple

¹ American  

[tip-uhl] / ˈtɪp əl /

verb (used without object)

tippled, tippling

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

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verb (used with object)

tippled, tippling

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

noun

1. intoxicating liquor.

tipple ² American  

[tip-uhl] / ˈtɪp əl /

noun

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

2. a place where loaded cars are emptied by tipping.

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

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tipple ¹ British  

/ ˈtɪpəl /

noun

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

2. a place at which such trucks are tipped and unloaded

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verb

1. dialect to fall or cause to fall

tipple ² British  

/ ˈtɪpəl /

verb

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

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noun

1. alcoholic drink

Other Word Forms

• tippler noun
• untippled adjective

Etymology

Origin of tipple¹

1490–1500; back formation from Middle English tipeler tapster, equivalent to tipel- tap ² (cognate with Dutch tepel teat) + -er -er ¹; tipsy

Origin of tipple²

1875–80, noun use of dial. tipple to tumble, frequentative of tip ²; -le

Explanation

Use the verb tipple when you want to show that someone drinks moderately but regularly. During Prohibition in the 1920s it was illegal to tipple but today you can tipple almost anywhere — as long as you are 21. As a noun, a tipple is an alcoholic drink. Your usual tipple may be a glass of wine with dinner, but at a summer barbecue your tipple may be beer. From tipple we also get the noun tippler — a person who drinks regularly but moderately. Experts aren't sure where the word tipple comes from, but it may be from a Norwegian word, tipla, which means to drink slowly.

Example Sentences

While you’re away, pinpoint at least one delicacy that will transport your guests to your vacation destination, preferably accompanied by a traditional tipple.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 4, 2025

To paraphrase F. Scott Fitzgerald, I guess the rich drink different from you and me — and Sacramento is helping them tipple it up.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 3, 2024

They produce small amounts of a high quality product which is well worth making your summer tipple, not only for its delightful taste, but also for its positive social and environmental impact.

From Salon • Jul. 30, 2024

The results suggest blueberry wine maintains some of the fruit's nutrients and the team identifies ways to optimize components in this superfood tipple.

From Science Daily • May 15, 2024

Mom looked at the window and then up the road to the tipple.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam