flip

¹

[ flip ]

verb (used with object)

, flipped, flip·ping.

1. to toss or put in motion with a sudden impulse, as with a snap of a finger and thumb, especially so as to cause to turn over in the air:

   to flip a coin.

2. to move (something) suddenly or jerkily.
3. to turn over, especially with a short rapid gesture:

   to flip pancakes with a spatula.

4. to cause to switch from one political party or candidate to another:

   Republicans flipped the Senate and increased their majority in the House.

5. Slang.
   1. to provide incriminating evidence about (an associate or accomplice); inform on:

      I only work with people I know won’t flip me.

   2. to turn into an informer:

      The prosecutor will try to flip the defendant in exchange for a reduced sentence.

6. to buy and sell (real estate or another asset) for a quick profit:

   The buyer flipped the house for double what he paid for it, just nine months after renovations were completed.

7. to change (an opinion, stance, or way of thinking):

   Federal courts had ruled the practice unconstitutional, but an appeals judge flipped the decision.

8. Slang. to make (someone) insane, irrational, angry, or highly excited (usually followed by out ).
9. Finance. to resell, especially quickly, or to refinance, as a mortgage loan.

verb (used without object)

, flipped, flip·ping.

1. to make a flicking movement; strike at something smartly or sharply; snap.
2. to move oneself with or as if with flippers:

   The seals flipped along the beach.

3. to move with a jerk or jerks.
4. to turn over or perform a somersault in the air.
5. to switch from one political party or candidate to another: Last November, most state legislatures saw fewer than five seats flip one way or the other.

   Formerly Democratic, our state has flipped to become red.

   Last November, most state legislatures saw fewer than five seats flip one way or the other.

6. Slang to provide incriminating evidence about an associate or accomplice; inform on:

   They wanted me to flip on the guy who sold me the drugs.

7. to change one’s opinion, stance, or way of thinking:

   The CEO has been accused of flipping on the issue of employee vacation time.

8. to shift from one state, position, etc., to another:

   My mood seems to flip 180 degrees without any obvious triggers.

9. Slang.
   1. to react to something in an excited, astonished, or delighted manner:

      He really flipped over his new girlfriend.

   2. to become insane, irrational, angry, or highly excited (often followed by out ).

noun

1. an instance of flipping; a smart tap or strike.
2. a sudden jerk.
3. a somersault, especially one performed in the air:

   a back flip off the diving board.

4. Cards. a variety of seven-card stud in which each player receives the first four cards facedown and selects two of them to expose before receiving the next card.
5. Slang. flip side.

flip

²

[ flip ]

noun

1. a mixed drink made with liquor or wine, sugar, and egg, topped with powdered nutmeg and served hot or cold.
2. a drink, popular especially in the 18th century, made with beer or ale mixed with rum or other liquor, sweetened and served hot.

flip

³

[ flip ]

adjective

, Informal.

, flip·per, flip·pest.

1. flippant; pert:

   She answered with a flip remark.

flip

/ flɪp /

verb

1. to throw (something light or small) carelessly or briskly; toss

   he flipped me an envelope

2. to throw or flick (an object such as a coin) so that it turns or spins in the air
3. to propel by a sudden movement of the finger; flick

   to flip a crumb across the room

4. foll by through to read or look at (a book, newspaper, etc) quickly, idly, or incompletely
5. intr (of small objects) to move or bounce jerkily
6. intr to make a snapping movement or noise with the finger and thumb
7. slang.
   intr to fly into a rage or an emotional outburst (also in the phrases flip one's lid, flip one's top, flip out )
8. slang.
   intr to become ecstatic or very excited

   he flipped over the jazz group

noun

1. a snap or tap, usually with the fingers
2. a rapid jerk
3. a somersault, esp one performed in the air, as in a dive, rather than from a standing position
4. same as nog 1

adjective

1. informal.
   impertinent, flippant, or pert

Word History and Origins

Origin of flip¹

First recorded in 1585–95; 1955–60 flip ¹fordef 18; fillip

Origin of flip²

First recorded in 1690–1700; perhaps noun use of flip ¹, so called from tossing or flipping of ingredients in preparation

Origin of flip³

First recorded in 1840–50; adjective use of flip ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of flip¹

C16: probably of imitative origin; see fillip

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. flip (someone) the bird, Slang. give (someone) the finger.
2. flip one's lid / wig, Slang. lid ( def 8 ).

Example Sentences

In a neat line, his agent, beginning a bidding war, promised: “Michiko Kakutani will flip for this.”

From The Daily Beast

Were you playing up or, on the flip side, shying away from portraying a romantic attraction?

From The Daily Beast

The answer is that you flip state legislatures, since in most places, state legislatures draw the congressional district lines.

From The Daily Beast

With the freedom of doing that, we were able to do a non-human, flip-y thing.

From The Daily Beast

So whatever college campuses are doing, they need to flip that script.

From The Daily Beast

Nor could they forget the Sunday mornings when his reverence took his dose of egg-flip before church, in order to clear his voice.

From Project Gutenberg

Caroline, unable decently to go away, gives her gown a sort of flip on one side, as if to produce a separation.

From Project Gutenberg

With a deft twist and flip he tossed the open noose over his prisoner's upheld wrists and jerked it tight.

From Project Gutenberg

Up flies his rapier idly—she with a sudden flip tosses it higher still, and with a leap, by Gox!

From Project Gutenberg

Then, with one quick flip of his wrist and a sudden spasmodic movement of his gullet, he downed it.

From Project Gutenberg