ENGLISH
REFERENCE

tipping

v. · n.
US //ˈtɪpɪŋ// UK //tˈɪpɪŋ// tip·ping
  1. 1 leaning or falling over (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    leaning something to one side or falling over by accident.

    the act of inclining something from a vertical position or causing it to overturn.

    Example

    The waiter was tipping the bottle to pour the last bit of juice.

    Example

    By tipping the container at a precise angle, the chemist was able to decant the liquid without disturbing the sediment at the bottom.

  2. 2 giving a gratuity (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the practice of giving extra money to workers like waiters or taxi drivers to say thank you.

    the social custom of providing a gratuity in exchange for services rendered.

    Example

    Tipping is expected in many restaurants in the United States.

    Example

    While tipping is customary in North American service industries, it is often considered unnecessary or even offensive in certain East Asian cultures.

    • gratuity
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  1. 3 dumping rubbish (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate British English

    the act of throwing away large amounts of rubbish in a specific place.

    the disposal of waste material, often used in the context of 'illegal tipping' or 'fly-tipping'.

    Example

    The council is trying to stop people from tipping old furniture in the woods.

    Example

    Local authorities have increased surveillance in rural areas to combat the rise of illegal tipping on private farmland.

  2. 4 flute articulation (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Music

    a way of playing fast notes on a flute by moving your tongue against the roof of your mouth.

    a technique of articulation in flute playing involving the striking of the tongue against the palate to produce distinct, rapid notes.

    Example

    The flute player practiced her tipping to make the fast passage sound clear.

    Example

    The piece requires mastery of double-tonguing and precise tipping to execute the staccato runs at the required tempo.

    • tonguing
  3. 5 predicting sports results (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate American English Dialect Sport

    a competition where people try to guess who will win sports matches.

    the act of predicting the winners of sporting contests, often within an organised competition or 'tipping pool'.

    Example

    He won the office tipping competition by correctly guessing the rugby scores.

    Example

    The local newspaper runs a weekly tipping column where experts provide their forecasts for the upcoming weekend of football.

Origin

From tip + -ing.

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