tip

TIP/tɪp/

Pluraltips

Verbtips, tipping, tipped

31 meanings of tip

Practice

1
advicenouncountable
A small piece of helpful advice about how to do something.
My teacher gave me a good tip for remembering spelling.
Here's a tip: drink water before you go for a run.
UsageSay tips for or tips on something.
Similarhint, pointer, suggestion
Note
2
nouncountable
The pointed or narrow end of something, like the end of a pencil or your finger.
She touched the tip of her nose.
The pencil's tip broke, so he sharpened it again.
UsageSay it's on the tip of my tongue when you almost remember a word.
Similarpoint, end, peak, top
3
extra moneynouncountable
Extra money you give to a waiter, driver, or other worker for good service.
Like a small thank-you present, but made of money.
We left a tip for the waiter after dinner.
The taxi driver smiled when she gave him a big tip.
UsageSay leave a tip for the waiter.
Similargratuity
Note
4
pay extraverbtransitive or intransitive
To give extra money to someone, like a waiter, for their service.
Always tip your server at a restaurant.
She tipped the driver five dollars for helping with her bags.
UsageSay tip the driver, or tip someone ten dollars.
Note
5
inside informationnouncountable
A piece of secret information from someone who knows something others do not.
He got a tip that the store would have a big sale tomorrow.
The police caught the thief after a tip from someone nearby.
UsageSay a tip from someone or a tip about something.
Similarhint, lead
Note
6
verbtransitive or intransitive
To lean to one side, or to make something lean.
He tipped his chair back on two legs.
The boat will tip to one side if everyone stands on the left.
UsageOften tip back or tip forward.
Similartilt, lean, incline, slant
Note
7
overturnverbtransitive or intransitive
To fall over, or to make something fall over.
The cat tipped the vase off the shelf.
Be careful, or the ladder will tip.
UsageOften tip over: the cup tipped over.
Similaroverturn, topple, upset, capsize
Oppositeright
8
cover the endverbtransitive
To put a cover or a point on the end of something.
The factory tips each new pencil with a small eraser.
Workers tip the fence posts with metal caps to protect the wood.
UsageSay tipped with steel, or steel-tipped.
Note
9
inform secretlyverbtransitive
To secretly tell someone useful or private information.
Someone tipped the police about the robbery plan.
Friends inside the company often tip her about new job openings.
UsageUsually tip someone off: tell them secret information.
Similaralert, inform
Note
10
nouncountable
A small cover fitted on the end of something, like a metal piece on a boot or an earbud's soft end.
The shoelace has a plastic tip that stops it from fraying.
Her cane has a rubber tip so it won't slip on the floor.
Similarcap, ferrule

Less common meanings

11
push away (ball)verbtransitive
To touch a moving ball or other thing with your fingers so it goes a different way.
Like pushing a balloon away with just your fingers.
She tipped the ball over the net with one finger.
Goalkeepers tip hard shots over the bar to keep them out.
UsageSay tip the ball over the bar or wide.
Similardeflect, palm, tap
Note
12
nounUKAustraliacountable
A guess about what will happen or who will win, such as your pick for a football match.
Her tip was that our team would win by two goals.
Before the show ended, he gave us his tip for the winner.
Similarprediction, forecast, pick
13
pour outverbtransitive
To empty something out by turning or leaning its container.
She tipped the crumbs into the trash can.
Tip the pan slowly so the water runs out.
UsageSay tip something into or out of a container.
Similarpour, empty, dump
14
nounCommonwealthIrelandUKcountable
A place where people take rubbish to be thrown away or recycled, or a big heap of waste from a mine.
Trucks dumped trash on the tip all day, and the pile kept growing.
Kids were told not to play on the old coal tip by the mine.
UsageSay go to the tip to get rid of rubbish.
Similardump, landfill, heap
Note
15
verbarchaic
To hit something quickly and softly, like a small tap.
A third rogue tips me by the elbow.
1708, Squire Bickerstaff Detected, John PartridgeHere, tips means taps lightly and quickly.
Note
16
throw out rubbishverbtransitive
To dump trash or other unwanted things in a place.
Someone tipped a pile of old tires by the side of the road.
People who tip their trash in the woods can be fined.
Similardump
17
nouncountable
A quick touch with the fingers that makes a moving ball change direction.
A quick tip by the goalie pushed the ball over the bar.
Her tip at the net surprised the other team.
Similardeflection, touch
18
a slight tiltnouncountable
A quick lean or tilt to one side.
With a small tip of his hat, he greeted the visitors.
One tip of the jar sent the marbles rolling across the floor.
UsageUse a tip of the hat for a small greeting or a sign of thanks or respect.
Similartilt
19
messy placenouncolloquialcountable
A very messy place, with things lying everywhere.
Like a garbage dump, but it is someone's room or house.
Your room is a tip. Pick up those clothes!
The kitchen was a tip after we baked the cake.
UsageSay a room is a tip when it is very messy.
Similarmess, pigsty, dump
20
nounarchaic
A quick, soft hit, like a small tap.
21
verbUKAustraliatransitive
To say who you think will win or what will happen, for example when picking winners in a football competition.
Most fans tip the red team to win the cup this year.
Everyone tipped her to get the lead part in the school play.
UsageOften tipped to win or tipped for a prize.
Similarpredict, fancy, expect
22
bit of meatnouncountableplural
A little piece of meat, the kind you might cook in a stew.
Dad cooked beef tips in a pan with onions.
The last steak tip on the plate was still warm.
UsageSay beef tips or pork tips.
23
verbdatedtransitive
To drink something.
Similardrink, quaff, down
Note
24
noun
A stiff piece of cloth glued inside the top of a hat.
25
noun
A thin, flat brush used to pick up gold leaf.
26
verbUS
To pour out some of a drink to honor someone.
27
nounobsolete
A pin being knocked down in the game of skittles.
28
noun
A rail cart that moves coal fast.
29
verb
To hand something to someone.
30
noun
What someone is into or doing right now.
31
noun
An area of interest, like politics or money.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of tip apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 2, 8, 10, 22

From Middle English tip, meaning "tip." It is related to similar words in Dutch, German, Danish, and Swedish.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Tip derives from Middle English tip, meaning “tip.” en.wiktionary.org
Tip is related to similar Dutch and German words. en.wiktionary.org
Tip is related to Danish tip and Swedish tipp. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 6–7, 11, 13–14, 16–19, 23

From Late Middle English tippen. It may come from a Scandinavian word, or be a special use of the first etymology.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

The word derives from Late Middle English tippen. en.wiktionary.org
A Scandinavian origin is possible. en.wiktionary.org
Alternatively, it may be a special use of the word covered by the first etymology. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 15, 20

Uncertain. It may be related to the first etymology, like Dutch tippen and German tippen.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

The origin is uncertain. en.wiktionary.org
It may be related to the first etymology. en.wiktionary.org
Dutch tippen and German tippen are related comparison forms. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 3–4

This was originally thieves' slang. Its origin is uncertain, but it is probably related to sense 1.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

This sense originated in thieves' slang. en.wiktionary.org
Its origin is uncertain. en.wikipedia.org
It is probably related to sense 1. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 1, 5, 9, 12, 21

This probably comes from one of two other uses of the word tip. One means "to give or pass" and the other means "to tap." It may also be a mix of both.