flipping
flipping — adjective
1. used as a mild way to express annoyance or to strongly emphasize a feeling, with
used as a mild way to express annoyance or to strongly emphasize a feeling, without being as offensive as stronger swear words.
Carmen searched everywhere but could not find her flipping car keys.
adjective before noun: flipping + noun
The flipping train was delayed again, making everyone late for work.
informal register: expresses annoyance
I have told you a flipping hundred times to lock the front door.
adverbial use: flipping + quantity
That flipping dog next door keeps barking all through the night.
- flipping thing
- flipping hell
- flipping heck
- flipping idiot
Grammar Patterns
flipping + noun
flipping + adjective/adverb
Usage Note
Commonly used in British English as a milder alternative to 'bloody' or stronger profanity. Can modify both nouns (adjective use) and adjectives or quantities (adverb use).
Common Mistakes
2. showing a rude lack of respect, especially when a situation calls for seriousnes
showing a rude lack of respect, especially when a situation calls for seriousness or proper attention.
The teenager's flipping reply to the head teacher earned her a week of detention.
describes a reply/attitude as disrespectful
Kwame was criticized for his flipping comments during the important client meeting.
The journalist's flipping tone suggested she did not take the allegation seriously.
collocation: flipping tone
Vikram gave a flipping answer to a question that deserved careful thought.
- flipping remark
- flipping attitude
- flipping comment
- flipping tone
- flippant
more common word with the same root meaning
- impertinent
stronger, suggests bold rudeness
- disrespectful
broader in meaning, not limited to speech
- respectful
showing proper respect
- serious
earnest and thoughtful
Grammar Patterns
flipping + noun (attitude/remark/tone)
flipping — verb
1. to throw something so that it turns in the air, or to turn something so that its
to throw something so that it turns in the air, or to turn something so that its top and bottom or front and back change places.
Diego flipped the pancake high in the air before catching it in the pan.
transitive: flip + object + adverb
The referee flipped a coin to decide which team would kick the ball first.
collocation: flip a coin
Soo-jin gently flipped the page of her sketchbook to start a new drawing.
A strong wave hit the small boat and flipped it over completely.
intransitive with particle: flip over
The truck skidded on the icy road and flipped onto its side.
- flip a coin
- flip a pancake
- flip a page
- flip over
- flip onto
Grammar Patterns
flip + object + over
flip + preposition (over/onto)
Usage Note
When used intransitively (without an object), often appears with particles like 'over' or 'onto' to describe the result of the movement.
Common Mistakes
2. to move something with a short, fast motion of the hand or fingers, often to rem
to move something with a short, fast motion of the hand or fingers, often to remove or reposition it.
Amara flipped a crumb off the table before the dinner guests arrived.
flip + object + off
The cat flipped its tail back and forth while watching the bird at the window.
Nadia flipped her sunglasses down from her forehead onto her nose.
flip + object + direction adverb
Olaf flipped the dust off his coat with a single firm slap.
- flip off
- flip away
- flip back
- flip down
Grammar Patterns
flip + object + off/away/back
Usage Note
The object is typically something small or light (dust, a crumb, a piece of lint). The direction of movement is usually indicated by a particle like 'off', 'away', 'back', or 'down'.
3. to press or move a switch in order to start or stop an electrical device from wo
to press or move a switch in order to start or stop an electrical device from working.
Chioma flipped the television off before leaving for school this morning.
flip + object + off
Please flip the kitchen light on when you go down to the basement.
flip + object + on
The night nurse flipped the switch for the emergency alarm system.
collocation: flip the switch
Kwame flipped his computer monitor on and checked his inbox for new messages.
- flip a switch
- flip on
- flip off
- flip the light
Grammar Patterns
flip + object (switch/light/button) + on/off
Common Mistakes
4. to move quickly through the pages of a book, magazine, or similar material, or t
to move quickly through the pages of a book, magazine, or similar material, or through television channels, in order to look at content without reading or watching carefully.
Mei-Lin flipped through a fashion magazine while waiting at the dentist's office.
flip through + magazine
Omar kept flipping between news channels to find updates on the approaching storm.
flip between + channels
Deepa flipped through the old photo album, smiling at pictures from her childhood.
The teacher flipped through the pile of homework before the morning bell rang.
- flip through
- flip between
- flip through pages
- flip through channels
- browse
slower, more intentional looking
- skim
focuses on reading quickly for main ideas
- leaf through
similar meaning, slightly more formal
Grammar Patterns
flip through + noun (magazine/pages/channels)
Usage Note
Almost always used with the preposition 'through' for books/pages and 'between' for channels. The focus is on speed and lack of depth — you are not reading carefully.
Common Mistakes
5. to change suddenly and completely from one state, opinion, direction, or positio
to change suddenly and completely from one state, opinion, direction, or position to another.
The weather flipped from warm and sunny to cold and rainy within an hour.
flip from + state + to + state
After hearing the news, Miguel's mood flipped from cheerful to deeply anxious.
The politician flipped his position on the new tax law after public criticism.
transitive use: flip + one's position
Ingrid's attitude flipped completely when she learned she had got the job.
- flip position
- flip mood
- flip from
- flip to
Grammar Patterns
flip from + noun + to + noun
Usage Note
Can be used transitively (to change one's own opinion/position) or intransitively (the change happens to something). The change is always quick and often surprising.
6. to react with sudden and strong excitement, delight, or enthusiasm about somethi
to react with sudden and strong excitement, delight, or enthusiasm about something.
The children flipped when they saw the huge pile of presents under the tree.
informal: flip = become extremely excited
The audience flipped over the singer's surprise appearance at the concert.
flip over + noun (show enthusiasm for)
Amara flipped with joy when she opened the letter and saw her exam results.
Football fans flipped when their team scored the winning goal in the final minute.
- flip over
- flip about
- flip with joy
Grammar Patterns
flip (over/about + noun)
flip + adverb
Usage Note
This sense is informal and emotional — it describes a strong, often physical reaction (shouting, jumping, clapping). 'Flip over' specifically means to be very enthusiastic about something.
7. to suddenly become very angry, upset, or unable to behave in a calm or rational
to suddenly become very angry, upset, or unable to behave in a calm or rational way.
Dad flipped when he saw the large dent in the new car's front bumper.
informal: flip = become very angry
Svetlana completely flipped out after she realized her bag had been stolen from the cafe.
phrasal: flip out = lose composure
The coach flipped at the referee for making what he thought was a terrible call.
flip at + person (direct anger at)
My boss flipped when I told him the project would be delivered a week late.
- flip out
- flip at
- flip over
- completely flip
- stay calm
remain composed under pressure
Grammar Patterns
flip (out)
flip at + noun
Usage Note
Often used with 'out' (flip out) for an even stronger sense of losing self-control. Unlike 'flip' meaning 'become excited' (sense 6), this sense always has a negative emotional charge — anger, panic, or distress.
Common Mistakes
flipping — noun
1. a quick turning movement or the action of throwing a coin into the air so that i
a quick turning movement or the action of throwing a coin into the air so that it spins, often used to decide something by chance.
The winner of the match was decided by a simple flip of a coin.
collocation: flip of a coin
With a quick flip of her wrist, the bartender opened the bottle of soda.
collocation: flip of the wrist
A gentle flip of the finger was all it took to turn the page of the old book.
The pancake rose into the air with a single careful flip of the pan.
- flip of a coin
- flip of the wrist
- coin flip
Grammar Patterns
a flip of + noun
decided by a flip
Usage Note
When used with 'coin', the phrase 'a flip of a coin' often refers to making a random decision. When used with body parts ('wrist', 'finger'), it describes a quick, skillful motion.
2. a movement in which your body turns completely over in the air, landing in a dif
a movement in which your body turns completely over in the air, landing in a different position, often performed in gymnastics, diving, or acrobatics.
The young gymnast performed a perfect back flip on the balance beam.
collocation: perform/do a flip
The diver executed a double flip before entering the pool with barely a splash.
The children practiced doing forward flips on the soft mat at the park.
collocation: do a flip
The skater landed a clean flip after spinning three times in the air.
- do a flip
- back flip
- front flip
- double flip
- perform a flip
- land a flip
- somersault
more general term, can be done on the ground too
- cartwheel
a sideways rotation, different from a flip
Grammar Patterns
do a flip
perform a flip
land a flip
Usage Note
Common in gymnastics and diving contexts. 'Front flip' and 'back flip' distinguish the direction of rotation. In skating and snowboarding, 'flip' refers to a specific rotational trick.
3. a hot or cold alcoholic drink made by mixing liquor such as brandy or rum with b
a hot or cold alcoholic drink made by mixing liquor such as brandy or rum with beaten eggs, sugar, and sometimes cream.
The hotel bar serves a traditional flip with brandy and fresh eggs every Christmas.
collocation: traditional flip
Grandma's flip recipe calls for dark rum, eggs, sugar, and a sprinkle of nutmeg.
Olaf ordered a warm flip to help him sleep on the cold winter night.
The bartender prepared a cold flip using whiskey and egg white for the customer.
collocation: cold flip / warm flip
- warm flip
- cold flip
- traditional flip
- flip recipe
- brandy flip
- rum flip
Grammar Patterns
a flip
flip + with + ingredient
Usage Note
This sense is historically related to the verb — the drink was originally made by 'flipping' (whisking rapidly) the mixture. It is now relatively uncommon outside of historical cocktail menus.
Word family
- flipverbA2
- flipnounB1
- flippernounB2
- flippantadjectiveC1
- flippantlyadverbC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
The verb 'flip' (sense 1) describes a quick motion that changes something's position, often with a turning or spinning element. 'Toss' overlaps with the throwing aspect — you can toss a coin or toss a pancake — but 'toss' does not imply the object rotates in the air; it simply means to throw lightly. 'Turn' is much broader and slower; you turn a page by moving it from one side to the other, but the motion lacks the speed and spin of a flip. 'Flick' involves a smaller, sharper motion using a finger or fingertip — you flick a switch or flick dust off a sleeve, but you would not 'flick a pancake'. 'Overturn' emphasizes the result: something ends up upside down or on its side, often accidentally. For example: 'She flipped the pancake' (deliberate, quick, spinning), 'She tossed the pancake' (into the pan, not necessarily turning), 'The car overturned on the highway' (accidental, disastrous).
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'flip' probably began as an imitation of a light, quick sound — like the noise of something turning over rapidly. It first appeared in English in the 1500s meaning 'to flick or snap'. By the 1600s, it was used for the drink made by 'flipping' (whisking) eggs into liquor. In the 1900s, British English began using 'flipping' as a mild swear word, replacing stronger profanity. The sense of 'becoming excited or angry' (flip out) developed in American English in the mid-1900s.