dipping
dipping — verb
1. Briefly putting something into water or another liquid so that it becomes wet, c
Briefly putting something into water or another liquid so that it becomes wet, coated, or coloured before being taken out again.
Owen was dipping warm bread into the bowl of olive oil at dinner.
dip + object + into + liquid
The chocolatier kept dipping strawberries in melted dark chocolate.
collocation: dipping [food] in [coating]
Tendai stood at the river, dipping her bare feet into the cool water.
The painter was dipping the brush into the small jar of yellow paint.
文法句型
dip + [object] + into/in + [liquid]
用法筆記
Object is normally something small and movable (food, brush, hand, foot); the liquid is often introduced with 'into' or 'in'.
常見錯誤
2. Putting a farm animal briefly into a tank of chemical liquid to kill insects or
Putting a farm animal briefly into a tank of chemical liquid to kill insects or parasites on its skin.
The farmers spent the morning dipping their sheep against tick infestations.
transitive: dipping [livestock]
Christopher had finished dipping the last of the lambs against fly strike by sunset.
Local vets demonstrated the safe way of dipping dogs to treat skin mites.
Without proper dipping each spring, the shepherd's flock would lose wool to parasites.
- treat
broader; covers any medical treatment, not just chemical baths
文法句型
dip + [animal] (+ in/for + [purpose])
用法筆記
Subject is usually a farmer, vet, or shepherd; object is livestock (sheep, cattle) or sometimes pets. Distinguish from sense 1: the liquid here is a medicated bath, not food coating.
3. Going briefly to a lower position or value, often before rising again, as with p
Going briefly to a lower position or value, often before rising again, as with prices, levels, or moving objects.
House prices were dipping slightly across most regions of the country.
subject is an abstract measure (prices, levels)
The kite kept dipping toward the rooftops every time the wind dropped.
Pim watched the small boat dipping behind the waves and then rising again.
Sales were dipping for a few weeks before bouncing back at Christmas.
文法句型
[subject] + be dipping (+ to/below + [level])
用法筆記
Often used for movements that are temporary; pair with words like 'slightly', 'briefly', or 'before recovering' to mark the short, partial fall.
4. Switching a car's front lights from a high beam to a lower one so they do not da
Switching a car's front lights from a high beam to a lower one so they do not dazzle other drivers.
Eli was dipping his headlights every time a car came toward him on the country lane.
transitive: dipping + headlights
The driving instructor told Saira to start dipping the beam as soon as another car appeared.
Emre was dipping his lights as the lorry came over the hill.
On dark country roads, tired drivers often forget about dipping their headlights for oncoming traffic.
- dim
standard American equivalent
文法句型
dip + [headlights/beam]
用法筆記
Mainly British English; American drivers usually say 'dim the lights' or 'switch to low beam'. Object is almost always 'headlights', 'lights', or 'beam'.
5. Taking only a small portion from a store of money or supplies, usually because t
Taking only a small portion from a store of money or supplies, usually because the rest must be saved for something else.
Luca was dipping into his savings just to keep paying the rent.
dipping into + [savings/funds]
The charity hated dipping into its emergency fund for routine expenses.
Sahil avoided dipping into his pension until he turned sixty-five.
We were dipping into the office snacks long before the meeting started.
文法句型
dip + into + [savings/funds/supplies]
用法筆記
Almost always paired with 'into'. Object is a finite reserve (savings, fund, supplies, pocket) — distinguish from sense 1 where the object is plunged into a liquid.
常見錯誤
dipping — noun
1. A thick cold sauce that people put on small pieces of food, like vegetables or c
A thick cold sauce that people put on small pieces of food, like vegetables or chips, by dipping the food into it.
Vinícius made a creamy avocado dip for the party on Saturday night.
a + [adjective] + dip for [occasion]
Yan brought tortilla chips and a small bowl of spicy tomato dip.
collocation: chips and dip
The supermarket sells onion dip in plastic tubs near the cheese counter.
Carrot sticks taste much better with a creamy garlic dip on the side.
- sauce
broader; many sauces are poured or served warm, while dips are usually cold and thicker
文法句型
a/the + dip
[noun] + dip (sour-cream dip, onion dip)
用法筆記
Usually countable; modifiers describe the main ingredient or flavour (sour-cream dip, hummus dip, chilli dip). Often appears in the fixed pair 'chips and dip'.
2. A short, casual swim, usually for fun rather than exercise.
A short, casual swim, usually for fun rather than exercise.
Élise fancied a quick dip in the sea before breakfast.
collocation: go for / fancy / take + a dip
The children begged for a dip in the hotel pool after the long drive.
Jin took an early-morning dip in the cold lake to wake himself up.
On hot summer evenings, the family always enjoyed a dip in the river.
文法句型
a + dip
go for / take a dip
用法筆記
Informal; almost always preceded by 'a' or 'the'. Typical verbs: 'take', 'go for', 'have', 'fancy'. Suggests something short and refreshing rather than serious swimming.
3. A liquid mixture used for cleaning, treating, or protecting things by putting th
A liquid mixture used for cleaning, treating, or protecting things by putting them into it for a short time.
Takeshi prepared a special dip to clean the silver coins gently.
noun: a + [purpose] + dip
The shepherd refilled the sheep dip with fresh chemicals every spring.
compound: sheep dip
Most jewellers keep a small bowl of cleaning dip behind the counter.
Carpenters often use a wood dip to protect fence posts from moisture.
文法句型
[noun modifier] + dip (sheep dip, wood dip)
用法筆記
Often appears as a compound: 'sheep dip', 'wood dip', 'silver dip'. The modifier names what the dip is used on or for.
4. A part of a surface, road, or graph that goes down lower than the area around it
A part of a surface, road, or graph that goes down lower than the area around it, or a short fall in an amount.
Brian noticed a wide dip in the road just past the old stone bridge.
dip + in + [surface]
The graph showed a sharp dip in profits during the autumn months.
dip + in + [quantity] (sales, profits, levels)
There is a small dip in the lawn where the children buried their toys.
Visitors slow down at the dip near the foot of the mountain path.
文法句型
a dip + in + [surface/quantity]
用法筆記
Two related uses: a physical hollow ('a dip in the road') and a temporary fall in numbers ('a dip in sales'). Both are usually small and short-lived.
5. A single act of putting something into a liquid for a very short time.
A single act of putting something into a liquid for a very short time.
Each strawberry got a quick dip in melted chocolate and was then chilled.
noun: a + [adjective] + dip in [liquid]
Mateo gave the brush a careful dip in the small jar of varnish.
One dip in the warm wax was enough to coat the candle wick.
The doughnuts were finished with a final dip in cinnamon sugar before serving.
- immersion
more formal; can be longer and fuller than a dip
文法句型
a + dip + (in / into) + [liquid]
用法筆記
Almost always preceded by 'a'. Distinguish from sense 4: this is a single action with a liquid; sense 4 is a shape or downward movement.
6. A short period spent thinking about or reading something, without going into muc
A short period spent thinking about or reading something, without going into much detail.
Andrei enjoyed a quick dip into Spanish history during the long train ride.
dip into + [topic/book]
Sunday mornings were just a relaxed dip into the weekend newspaper.
After dinner, the professor would take a short dip into old physics journals.
Even a five-minute dip into the chapter helps before the morning exam.
文法句型
a + dip + into + [subject/book]
用法筆記
Usually appears with 'into' and a topic, book, or field. Suggests light, casual engagement rather than deep study.
7. In physics, the angle between a freely moving compass needle and the flat surfac
In physics, the angle between a freely moving compass needle and the flat surface of the ground.
Owen measured the dip of the compass needle during the geography field trip.
domain: physics; dip + of + [needle]
Kemi noticed the local magnetic dip changed as her ship sailed north from the equator.
Early sailors used the dip of a needle to estimate their latitude at sea.
Hiro showed his students how to plot the dip beside the magnetic field lines on the blackboard.
- magnetic inclination
exact technical synonym; more common in academic writing
文法句型
the dip + of + [compass needle]
用法筆記
Specialist physics term; learners only meet it in geography or physics lessons. Distinguish from sense 4: that is a general fall or hollow, this is a measured angle.
8. A criminal who steals small things from people's pockets or bags in crowded publ
A criminal who steals small things from people's pockets or bags in crowded public places.
Tourist police warned visitors about dips working the busy train station.
informal noun: dips (pickpockets)
Christopher learned that a skilled dip could empty a wallet in seconds.
Two dips were arrested at the football match after a stewards' tip-off.
Old detective novels often feature a dip who works the morning rush hour.
- pickpocket
standard modern term; neutral register
文法句型
a + dip
用法筆記
Informal slang, mainly in older British crime writing; modern speakers usually say 'pickpocket'. Often appears in the plural.