Etymology From Middle English tip, typ, tippe (“tip”), from Proto-Germanic *tuppijô, *tuppijǭ (“tip”), a diminutive of *tuppaz. Related to Saterland Frisian Tip (“tip”), West Frisian tippe, tip (“tip”), Dutch tip (“tip”), German Low German Tip, Tippel (“tip”), dialectal German Zipf (“tip”) (diminutive Zipfel used in Standard German), Danish tip (“tip”), Swedish tipp (“tip”), Icelandic typpi (“knob, pin, penis”). Compare also Saterland Frisian Timpe (“tip”), West Frisian timpe (“tip”), Old English tæppa (“tap, spigot”), Middle High German züpfel (“pointed end, tip”).
The extreme end of something, especially when pointed; e.g. the sharp end of a pencil.
the tip of one's nose
When he woke up, about half an hour after, he called it to him again, but Dash only looked sheepish and wagged the tip of his tail.1848, Anne Bronte, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall:
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The present-day city of Ji’an at the southern tip of Jilin province was the second capital (3-427 CE) of the Gaogouli kingdom during its middle period.2004, Xiaoneng Yang, “Early Imperial China (Qin Dynasty through Southern and Northern Dynasties Period)”, in Xiaoneng Yang, editor, New Perspectives on China's Past: Chinese Archaeology in the Twentieth Century, volume 2, Yale University Press; Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 324:
From the ground, Colombo’s port does not look like much.[…] But viewed from high up in one of the growing number of skyscrapers in Sri Lanka’s capital, it is clear that something extraordinary is happening: China is creating a shipping hub just 200 miles from India’s southern tip.2013 June 8, “The new masters and commanders”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8839, page 52:
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A piece of metal, fabric or other material used to cover the top of something for protection, utility or decoration.
a tip for an umbrella, a shoe, a gas burner, etc.
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Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music The end of a bow of a stringed instrument that is not held.
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In plural A small piece of meat.
chicken tips over rice, pork tips, marinated alligator tips
He dutifully speared a beef tip and chewed it with false gusto.1998, Alan Morris, “Between Earth and Sky”, in Guardians of the North, book 4; →ISBN:
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A piece of stiffened lining pasted on the inside of a hat crown.
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A thin, boarded brush made of camel's hair, used by gilders in lifting gold leaf.
Etymology From Middle English tip, typ, tippe (“tip”), from Proto-Germanic *tuppijô, *tuppijǭ (“tip”), a diminutive of *tuppaz. Related to Saterland Frisian Tip (“tip”), West Frisian tippe, tip (“tip”), Dutch tip (“tip”), German Low German Tip, Tippel (“tip”), dialectal German Zipf (“tip”) (diminutive Zipfel used in Standard German), Danish tip (“tip”), Swedish tipp (“tip”), Icelandic typpi (“knob, pin, penis”). Compare also Saterland Frisian Timpe (“tip”), West Frisian timpe (“tip”), Old English tæppa (“tap, spigot”), Middle High German züpfel (“pointed end, tip”).
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To provide with a tip; to cover the tip of.
I thinke he thinkes vpon the sauage bull: / Tush, feare not man, wee'll tip thy hornes with gold, / And all Europa shall reioyce at thee [...].1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)]:
truncheon tipped with iron head1662 (indicated as 1663), [Samuel Butler], “[The First Part of Hudibras]. Canto I.”, in Hudibras. The First and Second Parts. […], London: […] John Martyn and Henry Herringman, […], published 1678, →OCLC; republished in A[lfred] R[ayney] Waller, editor, Hudibras: Written in the Time of the Late Wars, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: University Press, 1905, →OCLC:
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The furry nations harbour-tipt with jet, / Fair ermines spotless as the snows they press.a. 1749 (date written), James Thomson, “Winter”, in The Seasons, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, and sold by Thomas Cadell, […], published 1768, →OCLC:
It was on the break - the moon shone on its crest and tipped its foam with light.1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:
Etymology From Late Middle English tippen, possibly from North Germanic/Scandinavian (compare Swedish tippa (“to topple over”)), or a special use of Etymology 1.
Ergative (To cause) to become knocked over, fall down or overturn.
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Ergative (To cause) to be, or come to be, in a tilted or sloping position; (to cause) to become unbalanced.
the brief suspended agony of the boat, as it would tip for an instant on the knife-like edge of the sharper waves, that almost seemed threatening to cut it in two […]1851 November 14, Herman Melville, Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC:
There is little chance that the EU’s watchdogs have, until now, simply missed the evidence of a deeper malaise. The red flags signalling a democratic deficit have always been prominent: from the long-standing harassment, detention, and assassination of peaceful human rights defenders like Chea Vichea, Chut Wutty, and Tep Vanny, to ratcheting up efforts to deter civil society organisation through dubious, hostile legislation. More likely, the trade-offs between popular power and stability have been weighed by the EU and accepted, where these have tipped in its favour—in this case, shoring up a regional ally and trading partner, as well as delivering rapid rates of economic growth that have won Cambodia middle-income status, thus serving up a ready exemplar of neoliberal development logic.2019, Sabrina Lawreniuk, “‘Hun Sen Won’t Die, Workers Will Die’: The Geopolitics of Labour in the Cambodian Crackdown”, in Dog Days: Made in China Yearbook 2018, ANU Press, page 217b:
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To cause the contents of a container to be emptied out by tilting it.
The workshop with its smithy is still intact, also the loading stage where the narrow-gauge wagons tipped their contents into those of the G.W.R.1941 June, “Notes and News: The Derelict Glyn Valley Tramway”, in Railway Magazine, page 278:
US To pour a libation or a liquid from a container, particularly from a forty of malt liquor.
I tip my 40 to your memory.1993, DRS, Gangsta Lean (This Is For My Homies):
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To deflect with one′s fingers, especially one′s fingertips.
Lampard was replaced by Kalou but the substitute immediately gave the ball to Jonas, whose 25-yard curler was tipped wide by Cech.2011 September 28, Jon Smith, “Valencia 1 - 1 Chelsea”, in BBC Sport:
Etymology From Late Middle English tippen, possibly from North Germanic/Scandinavian (compare Swedish tippa (“to topple over”)), or a special use of Etymology 1.
Commonwealth, Ireland, UK An area or a place for dumping something, such as rubbish or refuse, as from a mine; a heap (see tipple); a dump.
There is much sad evidence, too, of the spoliation and dereliction of vanished industry: tips, slag-heaps and derelict colliery-screens among which the ubiquitous, nomad mountain sheep graze unconcernedly.1955 July, D. S. Barrie, “Railways of the Bridgend District”, in Railway Magazine, page 449:
1972 May 18, Jon Tinker, Must we waste rubbish?, New Scientist, page 389, As the tip slowly squashes under its own weight, bacteria rot away the organic matter, mainly anaerobically with the generation of methane.
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2009, Donna Kelly, 'Don't dump on Hepburn's top tip', The Hepburn Advocate, Fairfax Digital When I was a kid I used to love going to the tip.
There are two rubbish tips in Rother.2009, Rother District Council, Rother District Council Website:
2009, Beck Vass, 'Computer collectibles saved from the tip' The New Zealand Herald, Technology section, APN Holdings NZ Ltd Computer collectibles saved from the tip
The act of deflecting with one's fingers, especially the fingertips
As a frenetic opening continued, Cahill - whose robust approach had already prompted Jamie Carragher to register his displeasure to Atkinson - rose above the Liverpool defence to force keeper Pepe Reina into an athletic tip over the top.2011 October 1, Phil McNulty, “Everton 0 - 2 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport:
Etymology Originally thieves' slang, of uncertain origin; according to the OED, probably related to sense 1.
1
To give a small gratuity to, especially to an employee of someone who provides a service.
You should always tip your waiter in the United States and most third world countries.
Hire of bedding, and food in the restaurant cars is cheap, and passengers are officially encouraged not to tip company's servants—but they do.1950 April, Timothy H. Cobb, “The Kenya-Uganda Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 263:
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“Did you tip him enough to do any good? They only work for tips.” “I didn’t know that,” I said. “I thought the hotel paid them something on the side.” “I mean they will only do something for you for a substantial tip. Most of them are rotten clean through.”1964, Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC, page 156:
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To give, pass.
"Done say I to that, Reuben, tip me your fin, my spark, and it shall be a bet."1839, Dearden's Miscellany, volumes 1-2, page 661:
Etymology Originally thieves' slang, of uncertain origin; according to the OED, probably related to sense 1.
› A small monetary gift.
1
A gratuity; a small amount of money left for a bartender, waiter, taxi driver or other service worker as a token of appreciation, often calculated as a percentage of the bill.
Workers in the American service industry usually depend on tips to even make minimum wage.
“Did you tip him enough to do any good? They only work for tips.” “I didn’t know that,” I said. “I thought the hotel paid them something on the side.” “I mean they will only do something for you for a substantial tip. Most of them are rotten clean through.”1964, Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast, page 156:
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Tips were an important part of porters' income, and at Christmas passengers felt there was extra pressure to give them - despite some perceiving the level of service to be poor.2022 December 14, David Turner, “The Edwardian Christmas getaway...”, in RAIL, number 972, page 35:
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Dated A gratuity given to someone who voluntarily provides assistance.
A half crown tip put the deputy's knowledge at my disposal, and I learned that Mr. Bloxam [...] had left for his work at five o'clock that morning.1897, Bram Stoker, Dracula, Westminster [London]: Archibald Constable and Company, […], →OCLC:
So Lord Tottenham said, "Well, I'm much obliged any way. And now I come to look at you—of course, you're not young ruffians, but gentlemen's sons, eh? Still, you won't be above taking a tip from an old boy—I wasn't when I was your age," and he pulled out half a sovereign.1899, E. Nesbit, The Story of the Treasure Seekers:
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Dated A small monetary gift given to a child from an older relative or family friend.
“I hope,” said Uncle Andrew presently in a very high and mighty voice, just as if he were a perfect Uncle who had just given one a handsome tip and some good advice1955, C. S. Lewis, The Magician’s Nephew:
Etymology Probably from tip (“to give, pass”) or tip (“to tap”), or a combination of the two.
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A piece of private or secret information, especially imparted by someone with expert knowledge about sporting odds, business performance etc.
hot stock tips
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A piece of advice.
tips and tricks
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Australia A prediction of the winning team in a football game by a participant in a footy tipping competition.
Thus, this is a tricky tip; Port’s inconsistency combined with the higher ladder placing of Adelaide have me leaning the latter’s way.2019 July 4, Stirling Coates, “The Roar's AFL expert tips and predictions: Round 16”, in The Roar:
Another bye round, another dose of Thursday night footy and that means you have to get your tips in early.2016 June 29, “AFL tipping 2016: round 15 Expert tips from Herald Sun”, in Herald Sun:
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Australia A prediction about the outcome of something.
My guess, Senator Bernardi, is that Mr Rudd will take over. He will immediately say: 'I made a mistake on the carbon tax. We're not going to introduce it and we will go to an election.' There is my tip.2012 June 27, Ian Macdonald, “Tax Laws Amendment (2012 Measures No. 2) Bill 2012, Pay As You Go Withholding Non-compliance Tax Bill 2012”, in parliamentary debates (Australian House of Representatives):
My tip is he can be top 50 after the Australian summer of tennis.2022 July 18, Jedd Zetzer, “Jason Kubler reaches new heights in Newport”, in SEN:
Etymology Probably from tip (“to give, pass”) or tip (“to tap”), or a combination of the two.
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To give a piece of private information to; to inform (someone) of a clue, secret knowledge, etc.
Dirks was an investment analyst who learned from a former employee of Equity Funding that the company had been fraudulently manufacturing insurance policies. Dirks tipped several institutions which then liquidated $16 million in Equity Funding stock before the fraud was exposed and the bottom fell out of the market. According to the Court, Dirks was a hero for (eventually) exposing the fraud. The SEC's censure of Dirks for tipping inside information was reversed because, the Supreme Court held, the liability of a tippee derives from that of the tipper. If the tipper is without sin, so is the tippee. Here, the employee's purpose in informing Dirks was to expose the fraud, so the tipper breached no duty. Moreover, according to the Court, for there to be a breach of duty, there must be personal benefit (in the form of pecuniary gain or reputational benefit that will translate into future earnings) arising to the tipper from the disclosure.1987 October 1, Charles W. Murdock, “Heard It Through the Grapevine: The Future of Insider-Trading Laws”, in ABA Journal, volume 73, number 12, pages 104 of 100–108:
In rare instances, the provision logically could apply to the private right of action given to contemporaneous traders to recover for insider trading (e.g., a case where an insider tipped an associate about some forthcoming corporate event, and the tippee was found liable based on recklessness).1996, Donald C. Langevoort, “The Reform of Joint and Several Liability Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Proportionate Liability, Contribution Rights and Settlement Effects”, in The Business Lawyer, volume 51, number 4, The American Bar Association, pages 1163 of 1157–1175:
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If the institutional trading patterns we observe are a result of tipping, rather than precipitated by some other event, then we should see only a slight increase in the number of institutions active in the market (tipping would precipitate entry by, at most, the few institutions that were tipped). At the same time, given the nature of the reports, we should see an increase in the average buying activity of institutions (we cannot identify the specific institutions that were tipped, so we can only look at averages) and see little change in selling.2007, Paul Irvine, Marc Lipson, Andy Puckett, “Tipping”, in The Review of Financial Studies, volume 20, number 3, pages 755 of 741–768:
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Australia To enter a prediction of the winning team of a football game, as part of a footy tipping competition.
The rest of Saturday’s games have tantalising opportunities for upsets – but I’m going to tip conservatively.2022 May 5, Tim Miller, “The Roar's AFL expert tips and predictions: Round 8”, in The Roar:
I tipped all the home teams except for the Sharks and Storm.2010 April 23, Spiral, “Stampede Tipping Comp 2010!”, in Cowboys Stampede:
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Australia To predict something having a particular outcome.
I'm tipping that, although complex accounting treatments tend to separate capital items and recurrent programs and impede overall visibility, there are significant overspends across the infrastructure portfolio.2019 April 27, John Pesutto, “Austere pay rises would conflict with case for a 'living wage'”, in The Age:
Liz Truss is widely tipped to defeat rival Rishi Sunak to become the new British prime minister.2022 September 4, Dominic McGrath, “Truss tipped to win UK leadership race”, in The Canberra Times:
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The prime minister was widely tipped to call the election this weekend for 12 April, allowing Labor to avoid a pre-ballot budget that is expected to confirm a return to deficit.2025 March 8, “Federal government to hand down 25 March budget after Tropical Cyclone Alfred delays election announcement”, in The Guardian: