verb B2 Upper-Intermediate Common

dip

dihp

Dip (verb) means to lower something briefly into a liquid. Example: “She dipped the brush into the paint.”

verb

To lower something briefly into a liquid.

"She dipped the brush into the paint."

"He dipped a biscuit into his tea before eating it."

To drop slightly in level, value, or amount.

"Temperatures dip below freezing overnight."

"The company's share price dipped after the announcement."

noun

A thick sauce for dunking food such as chips or vegetables.

"They served guacamole as a dip with the tortilla chips."

A brief swim.

"We went for a quick dip in the lake before lunch."

A slight downward slope or drop in a surface.

"The road has a sudden dip just past the bridge."

How to Use Dip

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo lower briefly into liquid, to drop slightly, or (as a noun) a sauce, a quick swim, or a small downward slope.

Common mistake

"Dip into" savings/funds means to use a small part of them, not to fully spend them.

Common pairings

dip in prices take a dip dip into savings chips and dip

Word Forms

dipped past tense, dips plural, dips plural, dips plural, dips singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “dip” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

Temperatures _____ below freezing overnight.

Etymology

From Old English dyppan, related to the word "deep."

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

View more →

dunk plunge immerse submerge drop decline

Related Words

include fall increase lose drop spend accept catch

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “dip” mean?

The word “dip” means to lower something briefly into a liquid. In plain terms, to lower briefly into liquid, to drop slightly, or (as a noun) a sauce, a quick swim, or a small downward slope.

How do you pronounce “dip”?

“Dip” is pronounced dihp (/dɪp/ in IPA).

How do you use “dip” in a sentence?

Here is “dip” used in a sentence: “She dipped the brush into the paint.”

What part of speech is “dip”?

Depending on how it is used, “dip” can be a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “dip” come from?

The word “dip” comes from Old English. From Old English dyppan, related to the word "deep.".

Is “dip” a common word?

“Dip” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “dip” have?

“Dip” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to lower something briefly into a liquid.

What is the difference between dip and dunk?

Both involve putting something into a liquid, but to dip is to lower it briefly and often only partly, while to dunk usually means pushing it right in, especially food into a drink, as in dunking a biscuit in tea. Dunk is the more informal word of the two.

Is a dip the same as a sauce?

A dip is a particular kind of sauce: one made thick enough for dunking food such as chips, crackers, or vegetables into it. Sauces in general can be much thinner and are often poured over food rather than used for dunking.

Featured In

Vocabulary lists that include dip:

Words That End With P

People Also Searched

include fall increase lose drop spend accept catch