dip

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) A lower section of a road or geological feature.
2. (countable, uncountable) Inclination downward; direction below a horizontal line; slope; pitch.
3. (countable, uncountable) The action of dipping or plunging for a moment into a liquid.
4. (countable, uncountable) A tank or trough where cattle or sheep are immersed in chemicals to kill parasites.
5. (countable, uncountable) A dip stick.
6. (countable, uncountable) A swim, usually a short swim to refresh.
7. (colloquial, countable, dated, uncountable) A pickpocket.
8. (countable, uncountable) A sauce for dipping.
9. (countable, uncountable) The angle from horizontal of a planar geologic surface, such as a fault line.
10. (archaic, countable, uncountable) A dipped candle.
11. (countable, uncountable) A move in many different styles of partner dances, often performed at the end of a dance, in which the follower leans far to the side and is supported by the leader.
12. (countable, uncountable) A gymnastic or bodybuilding exercise on parallel bars in which the performer, resting on his hands, lets his arms bend and his body sink until his chin is level with the bars, and then raises himself by straightening his arms.
13. (countable, uncountable) The viscid exudation that is dipped out from incisions in the trees. Virgin dip is the runnings of the first year, yellow dip the runnings of subsequent years.
14. (countable, uncountable) A sudden drop followed by a climb, usually to avoid obstacles or as the result of getting into an airhole.
15. (uncountable) Finely ground tobacco, consumed by placing a small amount between the lip and gum.
16. (colloquial, countable, uncountable) The act of missing out on seeing a sought after bird.
17. (UK, dialectal, uncountable) Fried bread.
18. (countable, informal, uncountable) A financial asset in decline, seen as an investment opportunity.

Verb

1. (transitive) To lower into a liquid.
2. (intransitive) To immerse oneself; to become plunged in a liquid; to sink.
3. (intransitive) (of a value or rate) To decrease slightly.
4. (transitive) To lower a light's beam.
5. (transitive) To lower (a flag), particularly a national ensign, to a partially hoisted position in order to render or to return a salute. While lowered, the flag is said to be “at the dip.” A flag being carried on a staff may be dipped by leaning it forward at an approximate angle of 45 degrees.
6. (transitive) To treat cattle or sheep by immersion in chemical solution.
7. (transitive) To use a dip stick to check oil level in an engine.
8. To consume snuff by placing a pinch behind the lip or under the tongue so that the active chemical constituents of the snuff may be absorbed into the system for their narcotic effect.
9. (transitive) To immerse for baptism.
10. (transitive) To wet, as if by immersing; to moisten.
11. (intransitive) To plunge or engage thoroughly in any affair.
12. (transitive) To take out, by dipping a dipper, ladle, or other receptacle, into a fluid and removing a part; often with out.
13. (intransitive) To perform the action of plunging a dipper, ladle. etc. into a liquid or soft substance and removing a part.
14. (transitive) To engage as a pledge; to mortgage.
15. (transitive) To perform (a bow or curtsey) by inclining the body.
16. (intransitive) To incline downward from the plane of the horizon.
17. (transitive) To perform a dip dance move (often phrased with the leader as the subject noun and the follower as the subject noun being dipped)
18. (transitive) To briefly lower the body by bending the knees while keeping the body in an upright position, usually in rhythm, as when singing or dancing.
19. (colloquial, intransitive) To leave; to quit or abandon.
20. (colloquial) To miss out on seeing a sought after bird.

Synonyms

soak

immerse

dunk

plunge

dive

sink

douse

souse

slope

fall

duck

🦆

ladle

submerge

sag

drop

decline

steep

scoop

pickpocket

inclination

decrease

drench

wet

dim

depression

set

lean

slant

immersion

hollow

magnetic dip

magnetic inclination

angle of dip

cutpurse

droop

put in water

drown

descent

draw

soak up

splash

sluice

list

imprint

declivity

bath

🛀

incline

free fall

ebb

infuse

Translations

tremper

mojar

eintauchen

plonger

immergere

immerger

eintunken

tauchen

imergir

sumergir

stippen

Dip

mergulho

abblenden

tunken

Pronounced as (IPA)

/dɪp/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: dippen

Inherited from Old English: dyppan

In summary

From Middle English dippen, from Old English dyppan, from Proto-West Germanic *duppjan, from Proto-Germanic *dupjaną; see *daupijaną (“to dip”). Related to deep.