flip-flop

Pluralflip-flops

Formsflip-flops, flip-flopping, flip-flopped

1. 1
   nouncountable

   A light open shoe held on by a strap that fits between your big toe and the next one.

   Like flat slippers that slap against your heels as you walk.

   She kicked off her flip-flops and walked into the warm sea.

   One flip-flop snapped as he ran across the hot sand.

   Similarthong

   Note
2. 2
   verbidiomatictransitive or intransitive

   To keep changing your mind back and forth between two opposite choices.

   Like saying yes, then no, then yes again about the same thing.

   Voters get frustrated when leaders flip-flop on big promises.

   She flip-flopped her decision about the trip three times in a week.

   Similarvacillate

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3. 3
   nounUScountable

   A change of mind in which someone keeps switching back to the opposite view.

   Like changing your answer back and forth and never settling on one.

   Critics called his sudden flip-flop on health care a betrayal.

   Her latest flip-flop on the budget confused even her own supporters.

   SimilarU-turn, reversal, about-face, volte-face

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4. 4
   nouncountable

   A swap that puts two things into each other's places.

   Like two people switching seats with each other.

   A last-minute flip-flop put the two teams on opposite sides of the bracket.

   They did a quick flip-flop and swapped rooms for the night.

   Similarreversal, switch, swap, inversion

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5. 5
   nouncountable

   A jump in which you turn your whole body over, heels over head.

   Like rolling head over heels through the air.

   The gymnast finished her routine with a perfect flip-flop.

   He did a backward flip-flop off the edge of the pool.

   Similarsomersault, flip

6. 6
   nouncountable

   The slapping sound of feet hitting the floor in a steady rhythm.

   Like the soft slap-slap of loose shoes on a hard floor.

   We heard the flip-flop of sandals coming down the hall.

   The steady flip-flop of his boots echoed through the empty corridor.

   Similarpatter, slap

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7. 7
   nouncountable

   A small electronic part that stays in one of two states and can hold a single bit of information.

   Like a light switch that stays on or off until someone flips it.

   A flip-flop in the chip remembers whether the switch is on or off.

   Each flip-flop stores just one bit of data at a time.

   Note
8. 8
   nounslangUScountable

   A trip out to a place and straight back to where you started.

   Like going to the store and coming straight back home.

   The driver made a quick flip-flop to the depot and back before lunch.

   She did a flip-flop down to the coast to drop off the load.

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9. 9
   nounslangderogatoryoffensivecountable

   A very rude and hurtful word for a person from the Middle East or a Muslim country.

   He got in trouble for calling the new student a flip-flop.

   The crowd booed when a fan called the player a flip-flop.

   Note

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