Inherited from Middle English sippen, of uncertain origin. Compare with Low German sippen (“to sip”). Possibly from a variant of Middle English suppen (“to drink, sip”) (see sup) or perhaps from Old English sipian, sypian (“to take in moisture, soak, macerate”), from Proto-Germanic *sipōną (“to drip, trickle”), from Proto-Indo-European *seyb- (“to pour out, trickle, leak out”). Compare also Old High German supfen (“to drink, sip”), from Proto-Germanic *sūpaną (“to sip, intake”).
Meanings
A small mouthful of drink.
So order one more coffee / Have another sip of wine / We can go on talking / Until it's disco closing time 1977, The Originals, “Been Decided”, in Down to Love Town:
An event at which people drink alcohol in small, usually subintoxicating amounts.
Earl is always a good time. His appearance at parties, whether it's a smart cocktail sip or a basement gig, is mandatory. 1985 April 20, Joseph Beam, “Black Men Loving Black Men: The Revolutionary Act of the Eighties”, in Gay Community News, page 5:
cy sip (A small mouthful of drink) · dlm suars (A small mouthful of drink) · nl slokje (A small mouthful of drink) · th ซด (A small mouthful of drink) · ca glopet (A small mouthful of drink) · bg глътка (A small mouthful of drink) · ar رَشْفَة (A small mouthful of drink) · gl fechiña (A small mouthful of drink) · mt belgħa (A small mouthful of drink) · cmn 啜 (A small mouthful of drink) · mt sipp (A small mouthful of drink) · tr yudum (A small mouthful of drink) · gu ઘૂંટ (A small mouthful of drink) · gl chisco (A small mouthful of drink) · da sip (A small mouthful of drink) · hu korty (A small mouthful of drink) · cy llymaid (A small mouthful of drink) · eo trinketo (A small mouthful of drink) · vi hớp (A small mouthful of drink) · ar مَصَّة (A small mouthful of drink) · ca glop (A small mouthful of drink) · pt gole (A small mouthful of drink) · sv smutt (A small mouthful of drink) · sq hurp (A small mouthful of drink) · io drinketo (A small mouthful of drink) · az qurtum (A small mouthful of drink) · az udum (A small mouthful of drink) · da nip (A small mouthful of drink) · ro înghițitură (A small mouthful of drink) · el γουλιά (A small mouthful of drink) · arn ofqui (A small mouthful of drink) · da slurk (A small mouthful of drink) · lv malks (A small mouthful of drink) · mk срк (A small mouthful of drink) · gl pinga (A small mouthful of drink) · sv slurk (A small mouthful of drink) · ga bolgam (A small mouthful of drink) · ka ყლუპი (A small mouthful of drink) · gd balgam (A small mouthful of drink) · ro sorbitură (A small mouthful of drink) · zza qult (diq) (A small mouthful of drink) · it sorso (A small mouthful of drink) · is sopi (A small mouthful of drink) · gl fecha (A small mouthful of drink) · et lonks (A small mouthful of drink) · es sorbo (A small mouthful of drink) · fr gorgée (A small mouthful of drink) · ro gură (A small mouthful of drink) · de Schlückchen (A small mouthful of drink) · he לְגִימָה (A small mouthful of drink) · lt gurkšnis (A small mouthful of drink) · fi siemaus (A small mouthful of drink) · ckb قوم (A small mouthful of drink) · cmn 抿 (A small mouthful of drink) · et sõõm (A small mouthful of drink)
Inherited from Middle English sippen, of uncertain origin. Compare with Low German sippen (“to sip”). Possibly from a variant of Middle English suppen (“to drink, sip”) (see sup) or perhaps from Old English sipian, sypian (“to take in moisture, soak, macerate”), from Proto-Germanic *sipōną (“to drip, trickle”), from Proto-Indo-European *seyb- (“to pour out, trickle, leak out”). Compare also Old High German supfen (“to drink, sip”), from Proto-Germanic *sūpaną (“to sip, intake”).
Meanings
(transitive) To drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time.
bright young things in jeans and T-shirts huddle around laptops, sipping lattes or munching on free food. 2013 August 3, “Revenge of the nerds”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8847:
A waiter brought his aperitif, which was a small scotch and soda, and as he sipped it gratefully he sighed. 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 5, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
He held out to me a bowl of steaming broth, that filled the room with a savour sweeter, ten thousand times, to me than every rose and lily of the world; yet would not let me drink it at a gulp, but made me sip it with a spoon like any baby. [1898], J[ohn] Meade Falkner, “In the Vault”, in Moonfleet, London; Toronto, Ont.: Jonathan Cape, published 1934, →OCLC, pages 62–63:
(intransitive) To drink a small quantity.
[She] rais'd it to her mouth with sober grace; / Then, sipping, offered to the next in place. 1697, Virgil, “The Second Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
(transitive) To taste the liquor of; to drink out of.
They skim the floods, and sip the purple flowers. 1697, Virgil, “The Fourth Book of the Georgics”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
(Scotland, US, alt-of, alternative, dated) Alternative form of seep.
Sales of lightbulbs which sip electricity, and whose increased cost in the shops is easily paid for over their lifetime, used to double every year; in 1990/1991, they leapt sevenfold. 1995, Richard North, Life on a Modern Planet: A Manifesto for Progress, Manchester University Press, →ISBN, page 80:
It makes a small car, the Chevy Cobalt, which sips petrol in moderation and is therefore selling well. 2008 July 3, “The presidential election: White men can vote”, in The Economist:
Even when turned off, these devices can idly sip electricity from your outlet costing you money. 2014 October 20, Erik Hyrkas, "Energy Vampires are Attacking Your Home – Here’s How to Stop Them" (Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy)
is bergja (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · vi hớp (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · isd ixup (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · et rüüpama (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · ar تَمَصّصَ (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · ar حَسَا (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · tr yudumlamak (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · it sorseggiare (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · sq hurb (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · ar اِرْتَشَفَ (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · ar اِمْتَصّ (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · ceb higop (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · sv smutta (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · bg сръбвам (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · gl beberricar (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · cmn 啜 (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · pa ਚੂਸਣਾ (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · hu kortyol (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · la dēlībō (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · pt bebericar (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · ja すする (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · ms hirup (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · ar اِحْتَسَى (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · el πίνω γουλιά-γουλιά (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · mt ssippja (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · qu upiy (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · es libar (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · mba sinopsop (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · da sippe (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · egy n:d-b-A2 (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · mbb hiɣup (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · ar تَحَسّى (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · es sorber (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · ar مَزّ (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · cs srkat (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · ar كَرَع (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · egy i- -H-F20 (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · zza qult kerden (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · de nippen (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · tl higop (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · sv läppja (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · rup sorbu (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · qu ch'uqchuy (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · nl nippen (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · gl esbicar (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · bcl higop (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · ca xarrupar (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · mk срка (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · ar رَشَفَ (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · pt sorver (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · az qurtumlamaq (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · th ซด (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · th จิบ (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · akl higop (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · he לָגַם (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · da nippe (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · la sorbillō (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · eo trinketi (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · fi siemailla (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · cmn 抿 (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · ceb supsop (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · ro sorbi (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · mn амтлах (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · ru пригуби́ть (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · io drinketar (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · az udum-udum içmək (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · ro înghițitură (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · fr siroter (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · bg отпивам (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · it sorbire (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time) · mk сркнува (to drink slowly, small mouthfuls at a time)