English Reference

Phrasal verb

dip into

Definition

phrasal verb. to read small parts of a book or use a little bit of your saved money. You use this when you do not read something from start to finish or when you spend some of your savings.

phrasal verb. to read or examine parts of a text or collection sporadically; also, to spend a portion of a financial reserve. Transitive — always requires a prepositional object.

Examples

“I often dip into this book of poems before bed.”

“We had to dip into our emergency fund to pay for the unexpected roof repairs last month.”

“Researchers may dip into various databases to gather preliminary data before committing to a specific methodology for their study.”

Examples

simple

“I often dip into this book of poems before bed.”

contextual

“We had to dip into our emergency fund to pay for the unexpected roof repairs last month.”

complex

“Researchers may dip into various databases to gather preliminary data before committing to a specific methodology for their study.”

Usage

Typically takes a book, a collection of information, or a source of money as its object.

Teaching tip

Compare with 'browse' for books or 'draw on' for resources; it emphasizes taking only a small amount or reading briefly.

Pitfall

I dipped into of my savings.

I dipped into my savings.

the particle 'into' functions as the preposition, so adding 'of' is a grammatical error.

Phrasal verb

Particles

into

Separability

inseparable

Pattern

dip + into + object

Synonyms

browsesampleglance attap into

Antonyms

read thoroughlysavereplenish

Grammar

Phrasal verbs (introduction)

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Updated

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