dip

IPA/dɪp/
KK[dˈɪp]IPA/dɪp/

dip — verb

  • dippresent simple I / you / we / they
  • dipshe / she / it
  • dippedpast simple
  • dipping-ing form

1. to place an object underwater for a brief moment and lift it out again, often to

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to place an object underwater for a brief moment and lift it out again, often to make it wet or to cover it with a thin layer of something.

Example

Yael dipped her brush into the blue paint before starting the mural.

dip + object + into + liquid

Hamza dipped his biscuit in his tea and took a quick bite.

dip + food + in + drink

Common collocations
  • dip a brush into paint
  • dip bread in soup
  • dip a cloth in water
Synonyms
  • dunk

    implies a more thorough or playful immersion, often of food

  • plunge

    suggests a more forceful or sudden movement into liquid

  • immerse

    more formal; often means leaving something under the surface for longer

Grammar Patterns

dip + object + in/into + liquid

Usage Note

Often used with 'in' or 'into' to specify the liquid. The action is typically brief.

Common Mistakes

I dipped the brush on the paint.
I dipped the brush into the paint.
The correct prepositions are 'in' and 'into', not 'on'.

2. to become lower in position, amount, or degree — for example, when temperatures

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to become lower in position, amount, or degree — for example, when temperatures fall, a road slopes, or sales shrink for a short period.

Example

Temperatures dipped below zero last night, leaving frost on the cars.

dip below + measurement (intransitive)

The sun dipped behind the mountains as the family sat down for dinner.

Common collocations
  • prices dip
  • temperatures dip
  • the road dips
  • sales dip
  • dip sharply
Synonyms
  • drop

    a more general word for any downward movement, often faster

  • fall

    suggests a larger or uncontrolled movement down

  • decline

    more formal; often used for gradual decreases in statistics

  • sink

    suggests going down into something soft or liquid

Antonyms
  • rise

    to move upward

  • climb

    to increase or move upward steadily

Grammar Patterns

dip (no object)

dip + object

Usage Note

Frequently intransitive (prices dip, the road dips). The transitive form (dip something: dip a flag, dip a wing) is less common.

Common Mistakes

The price of rice has dipped under ten dollars.
The price of rice has dipped below ten dollars.
'Below' is the standard preposition for thresholds in measurements.

3. to put farm animals such as sheep into a bath of chemical liquid that kills harm

3.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to put farm animals such as sheep into a bath of chemical liquid that kills harmful insects or parasites on their skin or fur.

Example

The farmer dips his sheep twice a year to protect them from ticks.

dip + animal (farming context)

Femi took his dog to the vet for dipping because of fleas in its fur.

Common collocations
  • dip sheep
  • dip cattle
  • dip a dog for fleas
Synonyms
  • treat

    a more general word for applying medicine to animals

  • bathe

    general cleaning; lacks the chemical-treatment meaning

Grammar Patterns

dip + animal + in + chemical liquid

Usage Note

Almost always used for farm animals, especially sheep. The noun form 'sheep dip' (sense 4 under noun) refers to the liquid itself.

Common Mistakes

I dipped my cat in the bathtub.
I gave my cat a bath.
'Dip' for animals usually refers to a special chemical treatment for farm animals, not a regular pet bath.

4. to change the angle of a vehicle's front lights so they point downward, to avoid

4.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to change the angle of a vehicle's front lights so they point downward, to avoid blinding drivers coming from the opposite direction.

Example

Sofie dipped her headlights as a car approached from the opposite direction.

dip + headlights (British driving term)

Drivers should dip their high beams when they see traffic coming toward them.

Common collocations
  • dip headlights
  • dip your lights
  • dip the beam
Synonyms
  • dim

    the standard American English equivalent; also refers to reducing brightness

  • lower

    a more general word that can replace 'dip' but is less idiomatic

Grammar Patterns

dip + headlights/lights/beams

Usage Note

Chiefly British English. In American English, the equivalent expressions are 'dim your lights' or 'switch to low beams'.

Common Mistakes

I dipped my headlight to the left.
I dipped my headlights.
Dipping means pointing downward, not sideways.

5. to take money from a supply you had set aside, such as savings or a special fund

5.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to take money from a supply you had set aside, such as savings or a special fund, usually because you need it.

Example

Ignacio had to dip into his savings to pay for the unexpected car repairs.

dip into + savings

The company dipped into its emergency fund to cover the flood damage.

dip into + fund/reserves

Common collocations
  • dip into savings
  • dip into reserves
  • dip into a fund
Synonyms
  • withdraw

    more formal; focuses on the act of taking money out of an account

  • draw on

    suggests using a resource gradually rather than all at once

Antonyms
  • save

    to put money aside rather than use it

  • deposit

    to put money into an account

Grammar Patterns

dip into + savings/reserves/fund

Usage Note

Almost always followed by 'into'. The object is typically a fund of money (savings, reserves, pension) rather than a cash amount.

Common Mistakes

I dipped my savings to buy a new phone.
I dipped into my savings to buy a new phone.
The phrasal verb 'dip into' requires 'into' before the object.

6. to read or look at small parts of a book, subject, or piece of writing without s

6.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to read or look at small parts of a book, subject, or piece of writing without studying it deeply or completely.

Example

Élise dipped into the first few chapters before deciding the novel was not for her.

dip into + book/chapter

Constanza dipped into the report during her lunch break.

Common collocations
  • dip into a book
  • dip into a subject
  • dip into a report
Synonyms
  • browse

    suggests looking at items in no particular order, often in a shop or library

  • skim

    focuses on reading quickly to get the main ideas

  • sample

    suggests trying a small amount to test quality or interest

Antonyms
  • study

    to learn something in a thorough, focused way

  • devour

    informal; to read something very eagerly and completely

Grammar Patterns

dip into + topic/book/subject

Usage Note

Always takes 'into' before the object. Implies a casual, incomplete approach — different from thoroughly reading or studying.

Common Mistakes

I dipped into the book from start to finish.
I dipped into the book to see if it was interesting.
'Dip into' means reading small parts, not the whole thing.
Phrasal verbs

dip into

phrasal verb

To read or watch small parts of something, not the whole thing.

Sara dipped into the novel during her lunch break.

I only dipped into the documentary, not the whole film.

Idioms

dip into your pocket

idiom

To use your own money to pay for something.

Mia had to dip into her pocket to buy new shoes.

Did you dip into your pocket for the concert tickets?

dip — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/2

'Drop' is the most general word for a downward movement and can be sudden or gradual ('the ball dropped to the floor'). 'Fall' suggests a larger, often uncontrolled movement downward ('prices fell sharply after the announcement'), and is more dramatic than 'dip'. 'Dip' specifically implies a brief or temporary decrease that often recovers, so it is gentler than 'fall'. 'Decline' is more formal and suggests a gradual, often longer-term decrease ('the population declined over two decades'). 'Sink' suggests a slow movement downward into something soft or liquid ('the boat sank into the mud') and is less common for abstract quantities. For everyday conversation about temporary drops, 'dip' is the most natural choice: 'There was a dip in temperature overnight, but it warmed up by noon.' For a sharper, more worrying decrease, use 'fall' or 'drop': 'Stock prices dropped by ten percent in a single day.'

drop ↗fall ↗decline ↗sink ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • a dip in
  • dip below
  • take a dip
  • go for a dip
  • dip into savings

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'dip' comes from Old English 'dyppan', which meant to immerse or baptize. It belongs to a family of words related to the idea of depth (the Old English 'deop', meaning 'deep'). The sense of dipping food into sauce appeared in the 1600s, while the noun meaning 'a thick sauce' became common in the 1950s when party snacks like chips and dips grew popular in the United States. The driving sense (dip headlights) emerged in the early 1900s with the rise of automobiles.

First known use

12th century

12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a Noun (1)