ENGLISH
REFERENCE

tipping

v.
B1 Intermediate US //ˈtɪpɪŋ// UK //tˈɪpɪŋ// tip·ping

v. to tilt or lean something to one side. You also use this when you give a small amount of extra money to a waiter or driver to say thank you.

v. to cause something to slant or tilt from a vertical position; to provide a small gratuity in exchange for a service.


SIMPLE

He is tipping the bottle to pour the juice.

CONTEXTUAL

The waiter provided excellent service throughout the evening, so we decided on tipping him twenty percent of the total bill.

COMPLEX

By tipping the scales in favor of the opposition, the whistleblower's testimony effectively ended the administration's hopes for a quick resolution to the ongoing scandal.

Synonyms
Origin

From tip + -ing.

Usage

The verb is transitive when moving an object, but can be intransitive when referring to the act of giving a gratuity.

Pitfall

I am tipping to the waiterI am tipping the waiterWhen used to mean giving a gratuity, the verb is transitive and does not require a preposition before the recipient.

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