tip

1 of 10

verb (1)

tipped; tipping

transitive verb

1
: overturn, upset
usually used with over
2
b
: to raise and tilt forward in salute
tipped his hat

intransitive verb

1
: to become tipped : topple
2
: lean, slant

tip

2 of 10

noun (1)

1
: the act or an instance of tipping : tilt
2
chiefly British : a place for depositing something (such as rubbish) by dumping

tip

3 of 10

noun (2)

1
: the usually pointed end of something
a pencil tip
2
: a small piece or part serving as an end, cap, or point
tipped adjective

tip

4 of 10

verb (2)

tipped; tipping

transitive verb

1
a
: to furnish with a tip
b(1)
: to cover or adorn the tip of
(2)
: to blend (furs) for improved appearance by brushing the tips of the hair with dye
2
: to affix (an insert) in a book
often used with in
3
: to remove the ends of
tip raspberries

tip

5 of 10

verb (3)

tipped; tipping

transitive verb

1
: to strike lightly : tap
2
: to give (something, such as a baseball) a glancing blow

tip

6 of 10

noun (3)

: a light touch or blow

tip

7 of 10

noun (4)

1
: a piece of advice or expert or authoritative information
2
: a piece of advance or confidential information given by one thought to have access to special or inside sources

tip

8 of 10

verb (4)

tipped; tipping

transitive verb

1
: to impart a piece of information or advice about or to
often used with off
2
chiefly British : to mention as a likely candidate, prospective winner, or profitable investment : tout sense 1

tip

9 of 10

verb (5)

tipped; tipping

transitive verb

1
: to give a gratuity to
2
: give, present
this crew has tipped you the black spotR. L. Stevenson

intransitive verb

: to bestow a gratuity

tip

10 of 10

noun (5)

: a gift or a sum of money tendered for a service performed or anticipated : gratuity
Phrases
tip the scales
1
: to register weight
tips the scales at 285 pounds
2
: to shift the balance of power or influence
tipped the scales in favor of a declaration of warS. F. Bemis
on the tip of one's tongue
1
: about to be uttered
it was on the tip of my tongue to say exactly what I thought
2
: just eluding recall
tip one's hand or less commonly tip one's mitt
: to declare one's intentions or reveal one's opinions or resources
the Justice Department wouldn't tip its hand by saying what its next move … would beNewsweek

Examples of tip in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Young birders’ walk, 11 a.m. at Eagle Creek Park’s Ornithology Center: Walk the 2-mile Coffer Cam loop and learn identification tips for various ducks, geese and swans. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 14 Mar. 2024 Who Travel advice columnists back in the day, dishing out all sorts of tips and guidance to our readers, including one woman who, like me, felt like her identity was tightly wound up in her travels and was losing her sense of self as a result of COVID lockdowns. Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Mar. 2024 For anyone wanting to give the method a try, Tipton published a list of tips in September 2022 on how to do so safely. Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024 On Thursday, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the Houthis’ secretive supreme leader, said the rebels will start hitting ships heading toward the Cape of Good Hope in Africa's southern tip. Jon Gambrell, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2024 Bay View, located at the tip of the Mitten that's known for its Victorian homes, is on the National Register of Historic Places. Detroit Free Press, 13 Mar. 2024 Through her conversation with Throckmorton, Jessie learned some styling tips for plus-size dresses that go beyond fit and size range. Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024 Hair Color Studio, the proper tip for a hairstylist is 20% of the service fee. Maddy Zollo Rusbosin, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2024 This flexible finger sleeve has a rigged tip that gently massages your clit, nipples, and erogenous zones like none other. Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 3 Mar. 2024
Verb
Now that global tipping point for reining in the largest tech companies has finally tipped. David McCabe, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2024 The comedian has been able to reap some of the benefits of his wealth, though, including tipping off his dad to buy the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team and chances to meet former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Brian Brant, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024 It’s alleged that Jones tipped off Trone and his son to the rapper’s whereabouts and handed over an object retrieved from his sedan shortly before the shooting. Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2024 Use a fresh blade that doesn’t have any nicks, avoid tipping the blade to keep the corners from digging in, and spritz the glass to add some lubrication. Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2024 While landing, a faster-than-intended descent caused one of its six legs to malfunction and tip Odysseus on its side. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 28 Feb. 2024 Historical credit balances and job tenure are two really important things that tip the scale. Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2024 That would significantly tip the scales in favor of the defense. USA TODAY, 26 Feb. 2024 Confused: Some people use social media to basically tip out their emotional dumpster and publish their every thought, feeling, and latest meal. Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tip.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English

Noun (2)

Middle English; akin to Middle High German zipf tip, Old English tæppa tap — more at tap entry 3

Verb (2)

Middle English tipped having a tip, from tip entry 3

Noun (3)

Middle English tippe; akin to Low German tippen to tap

Noun (4)

origin unknown

Verb (5)

perhaps from tip entry 5

First Known Use

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

1673, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (3)

1567, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (3)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (4)

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (4)

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (5)

circa 1610, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Noun (5)

1755, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tip was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near tip

Cite this Entry

“Tip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tip. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tip

1 of 10 verb
tipped; tipping
1
: turn over sense 1a
tipped over a glass
2
: to bend from a straight position : slant
the bench tips on the uneven floor
3
: to raise and tilt forward
tipped his hat

tip

2 of 10 noun
: the act or an instance of tipping
a tip of the hat

tip

3 of 10 verb
tipped; tipping
1
: to attach a tip to
2
: to cover or decorate the tip of

tip

4 of 10 noun
1
: the pointed or rounded end of something
2
: a small piece or part serving as an end, cap, or point
tipped adjective

tip

5 of 10 noun
: a light touch or blow : tap

tip

6 of 10 verb
tipped; tipping
: to hit a baseball so that it glances off the bat

tip

7 of 10 noun
: a piece of useful or secret information given
got a tip on how to prepare for the test

tip

8 of 10 verb
tipped; tipping
: to give useful or secret information to
someone must have tipped them off

tip

9 of 10 verb
tipped; tipping
: to give a tip to
tip the waiter

tip

10 of 10 noun
: a small sum of money given for a service
Etymology

Verb

Middle English tipen "to upset, overturn"

Noun

Middle English tip "a pointed end"

Noun

Middle English tippe "a light touch or blow"

Noun

origin unknown

Verb

probably derived from earlier tip (verb) "to strike lightly"

Legal Definition

tip

1 of 2 noun
1
: information provided to the police or authorities regarding crime
2
: a piece of inside information especially of advantage in securities trading

tip

2 of 2 transitive verb
tipped; tipping
: to provide a tip to or about
often used with off
tipper noun

More from Merriam-Webster on tip

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