dip

1 a downward slope marathoners have one last dip before the race course levels off and the finish line comes into view Synonyms declension, declivity, descent, dip, downgrade, downhill, fall, hang, hangingRelated Words basin, depression, hollowNear Antonyms glacis, grade, gradient, hill, inclination, incline, lean, pitch, rake, tiltAntonyms acclivity, ascent, rise, upgrade, uphill, uprise

2 the act or process of going to a lower level or altitude the city's population has taken a slight dip since the last census Synonyms dip, dive, down, drop, fall, nosedive, plungeRelated Words comedown, decline, downfall, downgrade; plummeting, sinkingNear Antonyms advance, headway, progress, progression; betterment, improvementAntonyms ascent, climb, rise, rising, soaring, upswing, upturn

a stupid person how did that dip get through medical school? Synonyms airhead, birdbrain, blockhead, bonehead, bubblehead, chowderhead, chucklehead, clodpoll (or clodpole), clot [British], cluck, clunk, cretin, cuddy (or cuddie) [British dialect], deadhead, dim bulb [slang], dimwit, dip, dodo, dolt, donkey, doofus [slang], dope, dork [slang], dullard, dumbbell, dumbhead, dum-dum, dummkopf, dummy, dunce, dunderhead, fathead, gander, golem, goof, goon, half-wit, hammerhead, hardhead, ignoramus, imbecile, jackass, know-nothing, knucklehead, lamebrain, loggerhead [chiefly dialect], loon, lump, lunkhead, meathead, mome [archaic], moron, mug [chiefly British], mutt, natural, nimrod [slang], nincompoop, ninny, ninnyhammer, nit [chiefly British], nitwit, noddy, noodle, numskull (or numbskull), oaf, pinhead, prat [British], ratbag [chiefly Australian], saphead, schlub (also shlub) [slang], schnook [slang], simpleton, stock, stupe, stupid, thickhead, turkey, woodenhead, yahoo, yo-yoRelated Words booby, buffoon, fool, goose, loony, lunatic, madman, nut, zany; loser; gawk; featherbrain, scatterbrain; beast, boor, cad, churl, clown, creep, cur, heel, jerk, skunk, snake, stinker, villain; bimbette [slang], bimbo [slang], himboNear Antonyms egghead, intellect, intellectual, sage, thinker, whiz, wizard; polymath, Renaissance man; sharpie (or sharpy)Antonyms brain, genius

1 to sink or push (something) briefly into or as if into a liquid first dip a paper towel in water she dipped a hand into her pocket and pulled out a piece of candy Synonyms douse (also dowse), duck, dunk, immerse, souse, sop, submerge, submerse Related Words bathe, moisten, soak, steep, wet; drench, drown, flood; dive, plunge, thrust

2 to lift out with something that holds liquid carefully dipped water from the bucket to the kettle Synonyms bucket, lade, ladle, scoop, spoon Related Words bail; deplete, drain, eliminate, empty, exhaust; bleed, draw (off); dish; slop; decant, draw, pump, siphon (also syphon), suction Near Antonyms pour; fill

3 to go to a lower level especially abruptly the temperature dipped a bit in the evening Synonyms crash, crater, decline, descend, drop, dive, fall, lower, nose-dive, plummet, plunge, sink, skid, tumbleRelated Words abate, decrease, de-escalate, die (down), diminish, droop, dwindle, ebb, lessen, let up, moderate, subside, taper off, wane; recede, retreatNear Antonyms accumulate, balloon, build, burgeon (also bourgeon), enlarge, escalate, expand, grow, increase, intensify, mushroom, pick up, snowball, swell, waxAntonyms arise, ascend, lift, mount, rise, soar, spike, up

4 to lead or extend downward slow down, the road dips here Synonyms decline, descend, drop, fall, plunge, sinkRelated Words angle, cant, cock, heel, incline, lean, list, recline, slant, slope, tilt, tipNear Antonyms even, flatten, level, plane, smooth, straightenAntonyms arise, ascend, climb, mount, rise, uprise, upsweep, upturn

5 to take a quick or hasty look I dipped into the book, but I didn't have a chance to study it thoroughly Synonyms browse, glance, glimpse, glint, peek, skimRelated Words keek [chiefly Scottish], peep; blink, squint; look over, peruse, rake, scanNear Antonyms examine, overlook, oversee, question, survey; study, view; peer, pry; gawk, goggle, rubberneck; leer, ogleAntonyms gaze, stare