dipping
v.v. putting something quickly into a liquid and then taking it out again. You might do this with food or when testing the temperature of water.
v. lowering something briefly into a liquid before withdrawing it. Often used to describe a quick, shallow immersion rather than a full soaking.
She is dipping her biscuit into the tea.
The children spent the afternoon dipping their toes into the cold lake water to see if it was warm enough for swimming.
By dipping the fabric into the dye for only a few seconds, the artist achieved a subtle gradient that suggested the first light of dawn rather than a deep midday blue.
The verb is transitive when an object is being immersed, but can be intransitive when describing a downward movement.
He is dipping in the waterHe is dipping his hand in the waterWhen used to mean putting something into a liquid, the verb usually requires a direct object to show what is being dipped.