# dip into

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dip-into
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I dipped into of my savings." but "I dipped into my savings." — the particle 'into' functions as the preposition, so adding 'of' is a grammatical error.

## Usage notes

- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.