From Middle English dippen, from Old English dyppan, from Proto-West Germanic *duppjan, from Proto-Germanic *dupjaną; see *daupijaną (“to dip”). Related to deep.
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) A lower section of a road or geological feature.
They were all doomed to be disappointed, however, for the errant engine decided at Stanley junction to spend the remainder of its crowded hour of freedom on the Aberdeen line, and finally came to rest, short of breath, in the dip between Ballathie and Cargill, near the bridge over the Tay. 1941 October, “Notes and News: A Highland Runaway”, in Railway Magazine, page 469:
There is a dip in the road ahead.
After a signal check at Darley Dale, on the third run, the Pacific mounted the long 1 in 100 at a steady 53-54 m.p.h. and attained a brief 60 m.p.h. in the short dip before Monsal Dale. 1960 March, Cecil J. Allen, “Locomotive Running Past and Present”, in Trains Illustrated, pages 177–178:
(countable, uncountable) Inclination downward; direction below a horizontal line; slope; pitch.
(countable, uncountable) The action of dipping or plunging for a moment into a liquid.
With his precious charge / Embark'd, Sinicus gently ſteers along; / The dip of oars in uniſon awake / Without alarming ſilence; […] a. 1786, [Richard Glover], “Book the Seventh”, in [Mrs. Halsey], editor, The Athenaid, a Poem, […], volume I, London: […] T[homas] Cadell, […], published 1787, →OCLC, page 184, lines 293–296:
(countable, uncountable) A tank or trough where cattle or sheep are immersed in chemicals to kill parasites.
(countable, uncountable) A dip stick.
(countable, uncountable) A swim, usually a short swim to refresh.
I’m going for a dip before breakfast.
(countable, dated, slang, uncountable) A pickpocket.
Skeet is one of the modern young breed of dip, no longer interested in the pocket watches of the old and inattentive, finding more challenge in lifting a watch right off a wrist in broad daylight […]. 2025, Thomas Pynchon, Shadow Ticket, Jonathan Cape, page 6:
The Moocher was a "dip" in a dilettante sort of way, and his particular graft was boarding street-cars with his papers and grabbing women's pocket-books. 1906, Fred L. Boalt, "The Snitcher", McClure's Magazine v.26, p.633
To steal a housewife's purse might mean that her children would have to go hungry; but what of that, if the flash young “dip” could gain admiration from his mates by boasting that he had “frisked a judy's cly and lifted a skinful of bunce”? 1959, Frank Clune, Murders on Maunga-tapu, page 10:
(countable, uncountable) A sauce for dipping.
This onion dip is just scrumptious.
(countable, uncountable) The angle from horizontal of a planar geologic surface, such as a fault line.
(archaic, countable, uncountable) A dipped candle.
The miser’s niece was there all right, seated on a little stool with straw in her hair and reading a monkish scroll by the light of a tallow dip. 1936, Norman Lindsay, The Flyaway Highway, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 66:
by the feeble light of the dip, he beheld the pale, haggard face of Smallbones 1837, Frederick Marryat, Snarleyyow, or the Dog Fiend:
(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.
(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.
(countable, qualifier:turpentine industry, 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.
(countable, uncountable) A sudden drop followed by a climb, usually to avoid obstacles or as the result of getting into an airhole.
(uncountable) Finely ground tobacco, consumed by placing a small amount between the lip and gum.
Packed a lip full of beluga caviar after mistaking a tin for a can of dip and then spat the juice into an urn that I thought was a sombre spittoon. 2018 October 13, Alex Watt, “Everything I've Done That Made a Rich Old Lady with Opera Glasses Faint or a Monocle Fall Out of a Rich Guy's Eye”, in The New Yorker, New York, N.Y.: Condé Nast Publications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 18 Dec 2022:
(colloquial, countable, uncountable) The act of missing out on seeing a sought after bird.
I'd missed them by a couple of hours. This dip did not bode well for the Hudwit. 2005, Sean Dooley, The Big Twitch, Sydney: Allen and Unwin, page 124:
My Dad, God bless him, rarely cooked anything, but if he ever did he would make himself an egg banjo! Fried bread? Or ‘dip’? 2020 May 29, Bocca della Verita (@BocaVerite), Twitter:
(countable, informal, uncountable) A financial asset in decline, seen as an investment opportunity.
cs propad (lower section of a road or geological feature) · it avvallamento (lower section of a road or geological feature) · de Senke (lower section of a road or geological feature) · fi kylpy (tank or trough to kill parasites in cattle) · cs proláklina (lower section of a road or geological feature) · fi tikku (dip stick) · cs prohlubeň (lower section of a road or geological feature) · ca gual (lower section of a road or geological feature) · mi kakari (lower section of a road or geological feature) · sv dipp (exercise) · sv dopp (short swim to refresh) · ru щуп (dip stick) · luy edipu (tank or trough to kill parasites in cattle) · fi pulahdus (short swim to refresh) · ru впа́дина (lower section of a road or geological feature) · de Messstab (dip stick) · de Einstippen (act of dipping) · cs ponoření (act of dipping) · cs namočení (act of dipping) · de Ölmessstab (dip stick) · de Beugestütz (exercise) · es hundimiento (lower section of a road or geological feature) · scn scaffa (lower section of a road or geological feature) · sw josho (tank or trough to kill parasites in cattle) · ru углубле́ние (lower section of a road or geological feature) · de Baden (short swim to refresh) · de Eintauchen (act of dipping) · pl pompka szwedzka (exercise) · es badén (lower section of a road or geological feature) · bg спускане (lower section of a road or geological feature) · cs pokles (lower section of a road or geological feature) · fr pendage (lower section of a road or geological feature) · ga claonas (lower section of a road or geological feature) · bg топване (short swim to refresh) · de Erfrischungsbad (short swim to refresh) · de Barrenstütz (exercise) · it vasca (tank or trough to kill parasites in cattle) · de Tauchen (short swim to refresh) · fi öljytikku (dip stick) · de Schwimmen (short swim to refresh) · ta இறக்கம் (lower section of a road or geological feature) · el βύθιση (exercise) · fi painauma (lower section of a road or geological feature) · ru отжима́ние на бру́сьях (exercise) · de Eintunken (act of dipping) · cs omočení (act of dipping) · bg откос (lower section of a road or geological feature) · de Eichmaß (dip stick) · fi dippi (exercise) · bg ко́фичка (exercise) · ru обра́тное отжима́ние (exercise) · de Absenkung (lower section of a road or geological feature)
From Middle English dippen, from Old English dyppan, from Proto-West Germanic *duppjan, from Proto-Germanic *dupjaną; see *daupijaną (“to dip”). Related to deep.
Meanings
(transitive) To lower into a liquid.
He dipped the end of a towel in cold water and with it began to flick him on the face, his wife all the while holding her face between her hands and sobbing in a way that was heart breaking to hear. 1897, Bram Stoker, Dracula, Westminster [London]: Archibald Constable and Company, […], →OCLC:
Dip your biscuit into your tea.
(intransitive) To immerse oneself; to become plunged in a liquid; to sink.
The sun's rim dips; the stars rush out. 1797–1798 (date written), [Samuel Taylor Coleridge], “The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere”, in Lyrical Ballads, with a Few Other Poems, London: […] J[ohn] & A[rthur] Arch, […], published 1798, →OCLC:
(intransitive) (of a value or rate) To decrease slightly.
(transitive) To lower a light's beam.
The engine's three headlights lit the way clearly, and when a train approached in the other direction, Driver Wegg dipped his lights; the other driver politely replying by doing the same. 1953 August, J. G. Click, “The Lötschberg Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 516:
Dip your lights as you meet an oncoming car.
(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.
The sailor rushed to the flag hoist to dip the flag in return.
(transitive) To treat cattle or sheep by immersion in chemical solution.
The farmer is going to dip the cattle today.
(transitive) To use a dip stick to check oil level in an engine.
To consume snuff by placing a pinch behind the lip or under the tongue in order to absorb the desired chemical constituents.
Near-synonym: pack a lip
He started dipping years ago.
(transitive) To immerse for baptism.
new dipt Sectaries (Can we date this quote?), Thomas Fuller, The Appeal of Iniured Innocence:
[…] during the reigns of King James and King Charles I, there were but very few children dipped in the font. c. 1722, Charles Wheatly, A rational illustration of the Book of Common Prayer:
(transitive) To wet, as if by immersing; to moisten.
A cold shuddering dew / Dips me all o'er. 1646 (indicated as 1645), John Milton, “Comus”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], →OCLC:
(intransitive) To plunge or engage thoroughly in any affair.
He was […] dipt in the rebellion of the Commons. 1700, [John] Dryden, “Preface”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
(transitive) To take out, by dipping a dipper, ladle, or other receptacle, into a fluid and removing a part; often with out.
to dip water from a boiler; to dip out water
(intransitive) To perform the action of plunging a dipper, ladle. etc. into a liquid or soft substance and removing a part.
Whoever dips too deep will find death in the pot. 1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLC:
(transitive) To engage as a pledge; to mortgage.
Aura. Have you a clear title to the thing you would sell? That heart of your's, I warrant, has been mortgaged over and over.
Mod. Humph! it has been a little dipped; but I have always honourably redeemed it, and was as free as air, till I beheld those eyes. 1825, The London Stage (page 11): "The Farm House" (play)
Live on the use and never dip thy lands. 1693, Decimus Junius Juvenalis, John Dryden, transl., “[The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis.] The Sixth Satyr”, in The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis. Translated into English Verse. […] Together with the Satires of Aulus Persius Flaccus. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC:
(transitive) To perform (a bow or curtsey) by inclining the body.
(intransitive) To sink, drop, or slope downwards.
The sun is dipping over the now dry and clear Cornish landscape, and is a conclusion to a good day. 2026 January 7, 'Mystery Shopper', “Cornish cream - without the jams?”, in RAIL, number 1052, page 48:
(intransitive) To incline downward from the plane of the horizon.
Strata of rock dip.
The tunnel dips approximately 15 metres below Regents Canal and has a rising gradient at its northern end of 1-in-107. 2021 June 16, Dr David Turner, “The latest face of Gasworks Tunnel”, in RAIL, number 933, page 34, photo caption:
(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)
(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.
(colloquial, intransitive) To leave; to quit or abandon.
When the time came, he dipped.
Remember on my first lick, got lost in a house / Had to dip, bro, quick, before the dogs came out 2020 April 7, “Did Alotta”, Kai Bandz (lyrics), 1:07:
Twelve people worked on the project, but by the end, most of them had dipped on the real work.
(colloquial) To miss out on seeing a sought after bird.
I assured him that I'd been birding long enough to know that there were no guarantees with birds and I wouldn't have held it against him if I'd dipped. 2005, Sean Dooley, The Big Twitch, Sydney: Allen and Unwin, page 124:
cs klesnout (of a value or rate: to decrease slightly) · fi dipata (to consume snuff) · de eintauchen (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · cs ponořit (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · ga tum (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · he טָבַל (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · de stippen (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · pac tâuq (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · es sopear (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · ca sucar (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · ar غَمَر (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · nan-hbl 搵 /揾 (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · es sopar (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · de Ölstand m prüfen (to use dipstick to check oil) · tr banmak (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · fi kastaa (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · fi notkahtaa (of a value or rate: to decrease slightly) · mi whakaruku (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · vi chấm (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · as জুবুৰা (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · ta முக்கு (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · pl zanurzyć (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · pt mergulhar (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · ar غَطَسَ (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · it intingere (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · vi nhúng (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · bg топвам (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · nrf tremper (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · ru окуна́ть (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · fr baigner (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · ga ísligh (of a value or rate: to decrease slightly) · eo trempi (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · fi laskea (to lower a flag) · de tunken (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · nan-tws 搵 /揾 (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · az batırmaq (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · it inzuppare (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · pt imergir (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · es pringar (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · la mergō (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · fr tremper (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · el βυθίζω (to treat cattle or sheep by immersion) · es ensopar (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · fr plonger (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · haw hoʻoluʻu (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · ar غَمَس (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · ru мака́ть (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · fi dipata (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · grc βάπτω (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · cs poklesnout (of a value or rate: to decrease slightly) · cs namočit (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · got 𐌳𐌰𐌿𐍀𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · it immergere (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · da dyppe (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · la intingō (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · ru окуну́ть (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · ga ísligh (to lower the beam) · hu márt (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · lad untar (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · ca banyar (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · bg спускам (to lower a flag) · ms cicah (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · vo blunön (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · ga tum (to treat cattle or sheep by immersion) · de abblenden (to lower the beam) · fi vaihtaa lähivaloille (to lower the beam) · sv doppa (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · ru макну́ть (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · fi kylvettää (to treat cattle or sheep by immersion) · es mojar (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · hi डुबाना (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · de eintunken (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · tr bandırmak (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · ms celup (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · ms cecah (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · he הרכין דגל (to lower a flag) · as জুবুৰিয়া (to lower into a liquid — see also dunk) · fi nuuskata (to consume snuff) · fi tarkistaa öljyt (to use dipstick to check oil)
A commander tells the soldiers, "We're going on a 5 mile run". And some dip asks, "Do we have to bring our kitbags?" At which point, the answer is yes. It wouldn't have been if the soldier hadn't asked the question. 2001 January 1, Lisa Beth, “Question of Conversion”, in soc.culture.jewish.moderated (Usenet):