dip

I. verb (dipped; dipping) Etymology: Middle English dippen, from Old English dyppan; akin to Old High German tupfen to wash, Lithuanian dubus deep Date: before 12th century transitive verb 1. a. to plunge or immerse momentarily or partially under the surface (as of a liquid) so as to moisten, cool, or coat <

dip candles

> b. to thrust in a way to suggest immersion c. to immerse (as a sheep or dog) in an antiseptic or parasiticidal solution 2. a. to lift a portion of by reaching below the surface with something shaped to hold liquid ; ladle b. to take a portion of (snuff) 3. a. archaic involve b. mortgage 4. a. to lower and then raise again <

dip a flag in salute

> b. chiefly British dim 2 intransitive verb 1. a. to plunge into a liquid and quickly emerge b. to immerse something into a processing liquid or finishing material 2. a. to suddenly drop down or out of sight b. of an airplane to drop suddenly before climbing c. to decline or decrease moderately and usually temporarily <

prices dipped

> d. to lower the body momentarily especially as part of an athletic or dancing motion 3. a. to withdraw a part of the contents of something by or as if by reaching down inside it — used with into <

dipped into his pocket for change

> <

dipped into the family's savings

> 4. to examine or read something casually or superficially — used with into <

dip into a book

> 5. to incline downward from the plane of the horizon • dippable adjective II. noun Date: 1599 1. an act of dipping; especially a brief plunge into the water for sport or exercise <

a quick dip in the pool

> 2. inclination downward: a. pitch b. a sharp downward course ; drop <

a dip in popularity

> c. the angle that a stratum or similar geological feature makes with a horizontal plane 3. the angle formed with the horizon by a magnetic needle free to rotate in the vertical plane 4. hollow, depression <

a dip in the road

> 5. something obtained by or used in dipping <

a dip of ice cream

> <

a dip of snuff

> 6. a. a sauce or soft mixture into which food may be dipped <

bean dip

> b. a liquid preparation for the dipping of something; especially an insecticide or parasiticide for the dipping of animals <

a sheep dip

> 7. slang pickpocket III. noun Etymology: back-formation from dippy Date: 1932 a stupid or unsophisticated person IV. abbreviation diploma