# dipping

/ˈdɪpɪŋ/ (US) · /dˈɪpɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dipping
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. putting into liquid

verb · CEFR A2

putting something quickly into a liquid and then taking it out again.

For teachers: the act of briefly immersing an object into a liquid, often for coating, cleaning, or flavoring.

- She was dipping her strawberries into melted chocolate for dessert.
- The artisan was dipping the hand-spun yarn into the indigo vat, ensuring the dye saturated the fibers evenly.

### 2. dropping slightly

verb · CEFR B1

going down to a lower level for a short time.

For teachers: experiencing a temporary decline in level, value, or intensity.

- The sun was dipping below the horizon as we finished our walk.
- Temperatures are dipping tonight, so the farmers are taking precautions to protect their sensitive crops from the frost.

### 3. brief immersion

noun · CEFR B2

the act of putting something into a liquid for a moment.

For teachers: the process or act of immersing something briefly in a liquid substance.

- The metal parts require a quick dipping in acid to remove the rust.
- The industrial process involves the repeated dipping of the ceramic molds into a liquid slurry to build up the required thickness.

### 4. tobacco use

noun · CEFR C1 · American English · Informal

using a type of tobacco that you put between your lip and gum.

For teachers: the practice of consuming moist snuff by placing it between the lip and the gingiva.

- He picked up the habit of dipping while working on the farm.
- Public health officials have noted a rise in dipping among certain rural demographics despite the known risks of oral cancer.

### 5. birdwatching failure

noun · CEFR C2 · Informal · British English · Dialect

failing to see a specific bird that you went to look for.

For teachers: the act or instance of failing to observe a specific rare bird that has been reported in a particular location.

- After driving for three hours, dipping on the rare owl was very disappointing.
- The twitcher was gutted after dipping on the Siberian thrush, which had apparently flown off just minutes before his arrival.

## Examples

- 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.

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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.