flip

FLIP/flɪp/

Noun pluralflips

26 meanings of flip

1
verbtransitive
To throw something so that it turns over onto its other side.
Wait until small bubbles appear, then flip the pancake.
The big wave flipped our little boat, and we fell into the lake.
Similarturn
2
verbtransitive
To make something small, like a coin, spin in the air with a quick push of your thumb.
Let's flip a coin to see who goes first.
She flipped a quarter into the air and caught it on the back of her hand.
Similartoss
3
nouncountable or uncountable
A move where something turns over completely in the air, like a coin or a diver.
The gymnast did a flip and landed on her feet.
We let the flip of a coin decide who would drive.
Similarsomersault
4
verbslangintransitive
To suddenly get extremely angry or lose control.
Mom is going to flip when she sees this mess.
He flipped when someone scratched his new car.
Similarsnap, explode, freak
Note
5
nouncountable or uncountable
A total change in direction or in what someone has decided.
Her sudden flip on the plan surprised everyone at the meeting.
The weather did a flip, from sunny to stormy in an hour.
Similarreversal, swing, turnaround
6
verbslangtransitive
To buy something like a house or a painting and sell it again fast to make money.
Some people buy concert tickets early just to flip them for twice the price.
He flipped the condo six months after he bought it.
Similarresell
Note
7
nouncolloquialcountable or uncountable
The buying of a house or other thing to fix up and sell quickly for money.
Their first flip made them a nice profit.
The couple has done five flips in two years.
8
verbslangintransitive
To become very excited and happy about something.
The kids will flip when they see the new puppy.
She flipped for the band the first time she heard them play.
Similarerupt
Note
9
verbcolloquialintransitive
To change from doing one thing to doing another.
I flip between homework and video games all evening.
After a short break, she flipped back to her math homework.
Similarswitch, jump, shift
10
verbUSintransitive
To agree to be a witness against your partners in a crime in return for a better deal.
The police hoped one of the thieves would flip and tell them everything.
He flipped on his old boss to stay out of prison.
Similarcooperate
Note

11
verbUStransitive
To get someone to be a witness against their partners in a crime by offering them a better deal.
Detectives tried to flip the youngest member of the gang.
The police flipped one of the drivers, and the whole plan fell apart.
Similarturn
12
verbUStransitive
To win a state or county in an election when the other party won it the time before.
The party hopes to flip three states this year.
She flipped the county by just a few hundred votes.
Note
13
adjectivecolloquial
Rude in a joking way, not showing respect.
Don't be flip with your teacher when she asks you a question.
He gave a flip answer, and his dad got angry.
Similarflippant, disrespectful, cheeky, glib, impertinent
Oppositerespectful, serious
14
verbcolloquialtransitive
To give something to someone or send it on to another person.
Flip me the address and I'll meet you there.
She flipped the message to her boss right away.
Similarpass, send, forward
15
verbtransitive
To change one bit of computer data from 0 to 1, or from 1 to 0.
The program has to flip one bit to turn the setting on.
A tiny error flipped a bit, and the photo came out wrong.
Similartoggle, invert
Note
16
interjectioncolloquialeuphemisticUK
A mild word said instead of a swear word when you are annoyed, especially at your own mistake.
Oh, flip! I've just dropped my phone in the sink.
Flip, I've missed the bus again.
Similarheck, drat, blast
Note
17
adjectivecolloquialUK
Joking and playful, or not being serious about something.
Mum told him not to be so flip about his exams.
Her flip little jokes kept everyone smiling on the long drive.
Similarflippant, facetious, frivolous
Oppositeserious, earnest, solemn
Note
18
nouncountable or uncountable
A boys' haircut where the hair covers half the ears and then sticks out at the ends.
My brother wanted a flip like the singer on TV.
He brushed his flip every morning so the ends stuck out.
19
noununcountable
The way the barrel of a gun jerks suddenly when the gun is fired.
This small pistol has very little flip, so it is easy to aim again.
Hold the gun firmly to control flip when you shoot.
Note
20
nounslangUScountable or uncountable
A Y-shaped stick with a stretchy band that you pull back to shoot small stones.
He kept a flip in his back pocket all summer.
The boys knocked cans off the fence with their flips.
Similarslingshot, catapult
Note
21
verbslangtransitive
To replace a loan with a new loan, which adds more fees.
The lender tried to flip her car loan three times in one year.
They flipped his home loan and charged new fees each time.
Note
22
noununcountable
A drink of beer mixed with strong alcohol, made hot by stirring it with a hot piece of iron.
At the history museum, a guide made flip by pushing a hot iron into a jug of beer.
He drank a mug of hot flip by the fire to warm up.
Note
23
verbintransitive
To move quickly back and forth, like a flag in the wind.
The flags on the boats flip in the wind all day.
Her scarf flipped behind her as she rode her bike.
Similarflap, flutter
24
noundatedcountable or uncountable
A very tiny amount of something.
She doesn't care a flip what her neighbors think.
Nobody gave a flip about the old rules anymore.
Similarbit, damn, jot, iota, crumb
Note
25
nounarchaiccountable or uncountable
A quick, light hit, like a flick of the finger.
He gave his little brother a flip on the ear.
A flip on the nose made the puppy back away from the cake.
Similarflick
Note
26
adjective
Making mocking remarks, often saying the opposite of what you mean.

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1–12, 14–15, 18–21, 23–25

It changed from the older word fillip, which comes from a Middle English word for snapping the fingers.

Meaning 16

It seems to be a milder word used instead of fuck.

Meanings 13, 17

A shortened form of flippant.