Phrasal verb
flip off
Definition
phr.v. to show someone your middle finger as a very rude way to say you are angry with them.
phr.v. to extend the middle finger toward someone as an obscene gesture of contempt or anger.
Examples
“The driver flipped me off after I honked my horn.”
“He got so frustrated with the referee's decision that he flipped him off and was kicked out of the game.”
“In a moment of uncharacteristic aggression, the politician flipped off the hecklers who were persistently interrupting his speech.”
Examples
simple
“The driver flipped me off after I honked my horn.”
contextual
“He got so frustrated with the referee's decision that he flipped him off and was kicked out of the game.”
complex
“In a moment of uncharacteristic aggression, the politician flipped off the hecklers who were persistently interrupting his speech.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and separable; the object can sit between 'flip' and 'off' or after the full phrase.
Teaching tip
this is the American English equivalent of the British 'give someone the finger'; it is a transitive phrasal verb that is almost always separated when using a pronoun.
This is a highly offensive gesture in many cultures; students should be aware of its meaning but avoid using it in any professional or polite setting.
Synonyms
Phrasal verb
Particles
off
Separability
optional
Pattern
flip + object + off
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/flip-off