tip
pronunciation
How to pronounce tip in British English:
UK [tɪp]
How to pronounce tip in American English:
US [tɪp]
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- Noun:
- the extreme end of something; especially something pointed
- a relatively small amount of money given for services rendered (as by a waiter)
- an indication of potential opportunity
- a V shape
- the top point of a mountain or hill
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- Verb:
- cause to tilt
- mark with a tip
- give a tip or gratuity to in return for a service, beyond the agreed-on compensation
- cause to topple or tumble by pushing
- to incline or bend from a vertical position
- walk on one's toes
- strike lightly
- give insider information or advise to
- remove the tip from
Word Origin
- tip
- tip: English has three distinct words tip, two of them possibly related. Tip ‘extremity’ [15] was probably borrowed from Old Norse typpi. This was descended from prehistoric Germanic *tupp- ‘upper extremity’ (source also of English top and toupee). Tip ‘touch lightly’ [13] (as in ‘tip-and-run cricket’) may have been borrowed from Low German tippen, although it could be the same word as tip ‘extremity’ (from the notion of ‘just touching something with the tip of something else’).It was used in 17th-century underworld argot for ‘give’ (as in ‘tip someone the wink’), and this evolved in the 18th century to ‘give a gratuity’. The antecedents of tip ‘overturn’ [14] (originally tipe) are not known, although the fact that it first appeared in northern dialects suggests that it may have been borrowed from a Scandinavian language. The derived tipsy [16] denotes etymologically ‘liable to fall over’.=> top, toupee; tipsy
- tip (v.1)
- c. 1300, "to knock down, overturn, topple, knock askew" (transitive), of uncertain origin, possibly from Scandinavian (compare Swedish tippa "to tip, dump"), or from a special use of tip (n.). Intransitive sense of "to fall over, be overturned" is from mid-15c. Related: Tipped; tipping. To tip the scales at "weigh (so much" is from 1879. Tipping point attested by 1972. To tip (one's) hand "reveal one's intentions" is from 1907, an image from poker-playing.
- tip (n.1)
- c. 1400, "extreme end of something, top of something round or pointed, metal attachment to the end of something," from Middle Low German or Middle Dutch tip "utmost point, extremity, tip" (compare German zipfel, a diminutive formation); or from a Scandinavian source (compare Old Norse typpi).
- tip (v.2)
- "give a small present of money to," c. 1600, originally "to give, hand, pass," thieves' cant, perhaps from tip (v.3) "to tap." The meaning "give a gratuity to" is first attested 1706. The noun in this sense is from 1755; the noun meaning "piece of confidential information" is from 1845; and the verb in the sense "give private information to" is from 1883. The popularity of the tale of the word's supposed origin as an acronym in mid-18th century English taverns seems to be no older than Frederick W. Hackwood's 1909 book "Inns, Ales and Drinking Customs of Old England," where it was said to stand for To insure promptitude (in the form to insure promptness the anecdote is told from 1946). A reviewer of the book in the "Athenaeum" of Oct. 2, 1909, wrote, "We deprecate the careless repetition of popular etymologies such as the notion that "tip" originated from an abbreviated inscription on a box placed on the sideboard in old coaching-inns, the full meaning of which was "To Insure Promptitude." Also see here.
- tip (v.3)
- c. 1200, "to strike, occur suddenly," of uncertain origin, possibly from Low German tippen "to poke, touch lightly," related to Middle Low German tip "end, point," and thus connected to tip (n.); or else related to tap (v.1). Meaning "strike sharply but lightly" is from 1560s. Sports sense is from 1816, originally in cricket. Related: Tipped; tipping.
- tip (n.2)
- "a light, sharp blow or tap," mid-15c., from tip (v.3).
- tip (v.4)
- "put a tip on, adorn with a tip," late 14c., from tip (n.) or Old Norse typpa. Related: Tipped; tipping.
Example
- 1. Every friday is health tip day at zen habits .
- 2. We gave the waitress a big tip because the service was excellent .
- 3. The culvert admitted the tip of the snowmobile , then cut into the cowling , spilling fuel over the hot engine .
- 4. That last block will always come from tip of the longest chain of blocks currently on the network .
- 5. Focus your eyes.just slightly above the camera lens , move your face forward a bit , and tip down your chin .