tip English · revision 4620

+ English has several words spelled ''tip'': the pointed end of something, probably from Low German or Norse; a verb meaning to overturn or tilt, of uncertain origin; and a light tap, from which perhaps came the senses “gratuity” and “hint”.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /tɪp/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|end}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=borrowing|attested=a. 1200}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|tippe]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) not attested in Old English,^(Etymonline) probably [[bor|gml|tip|t=utmost point, extremity]] or Middle Dutch tip,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) or from a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse typpi,^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) which Hoad derives from the base of [[top]].^(Hoad 1986) German Zipfel is a related diminutive.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) Proposed connections with top present phonetic difficulties.^(Etymonline) Barnhart traces it ultimately to the root of Old English tæppa, the source of [[tap]] “stopper”.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Probably before 1200 in Barnhart, as tippe;^(Barnhart 1988) the late 14th century in Etymonline, where the earliest uses refer to the end of the toe, as in [[tiptoe]] (about 1390, in Chaucer).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The slender end of a thing: about 1440 in the OED.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was later used of the tip of a tongue, finger, arrow or pen.^(Etymonline) A small piece of metal or leather fitted to the end of something is from about 1440,^(OED 1989) and the verb, to put a tip on, from about 1395, in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) ''On the tip of one's tongue'' is by 1722.^(Etymonline) In the tea trade, tips are the leaf buds, by 1897.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) ''Tiptop'', the very top, is from 1702, and first-rate from 1732.^(Barnhart 1988) In northern dialect ''arse over tip'' means head over heels.^(Wright 1898)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * a. 1200 – tippe.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1390 – tiptoe.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1395 – verb, to put a tip on.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1440 – the slender end; a metal tip.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1702 – ''tiptop''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1722 – ''tip of the tongue''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The pointed or rounded end of something long or slender: ''the tip of the nose''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A small piece or part fitted to the end of something: ''a filter tip''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To put a tip on, or cover the tip of.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[tiptoe]]

+ * [[tiptop]]

+ * [[fingertip]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|tilt}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|attested=c. 1380}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English typen, tippen “to overturn”,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) of uncertain origin,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) possibly from a Scandinavian source such as Swedish tippa “to tip, dump”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) and later perhaps influenced by the word for “end” in phrases such as tip up and tip over.^(Barnhart 1988) Barnhart notes that the original long vowel argues against early association with that word;^(Barnhart 1988) the spelling type was in literary use as late as 1632, and tip with a short vowel first appeared in 1581, perhaps from the past tense tipt.^(Barnhart 1988) Etymonline also suggests a special use of the verb “to tap”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To knock down, overturn: probably about 1380 in Barnhart,^(Barnhart 1988) about 1300 in Etymonline,^(Etymonline) the 14th century in the OED.^(OED 1989) A register of 1301 has the nickname Johanna Tippelevedy.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ To fall over is from the mid-15th century.^(Etymonline) To tilt or cause to slope is from 1624,^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) and to lean from the perpendicular by the 1660s.^(Etymonline) To empty a cart by tilting it is from 1838,^(OED 1989) and a place for dumping loads by 1862,^(Etymonline) hence a rubbish tip.^(Collins 2023) ''Tip the scales'' is from 1879, figuratively by 1891,^(Etymonline) ''tip one's hand'' from poker by 1907,^(Etymonline) and the ''tipping point'' by 1972.^(Etymonline) ''Tipsy'', unsteady from drink, is from 1577.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1380 – to overturn.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * mid-15th century – to fall over.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1577 – ''tipsy''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1624 – to tilt.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1838 – to dump.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1862 – a dumping place.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1879 – ''tip the scales''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1972 – ''tipping point''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To tilt or cause to [[tilt]]; to slant.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To overturn or upset, also ''tip over''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(British)'' To empty out by tilting; to dump.^(Collins 2023)

+ # To raise a hat in greeting.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(British)'' A place where rubbish is dumped; also an untidy place.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[tipsy]]

+

+ {{homograph|3|tap; gratuity}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|attested=c. 1200}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The verb “to strike lightly” is Middle English tippen,^(Etymonline) of uncertain origin, possibly from Low German tippen “to poke, touch lightly”, related to the word for “end”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) or related to [[tap]].^(Etymonline) The senses “to give, hand” and “to give a gratuity” are perhaps from it, as in the notion of throwing a coin lightly to another;^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) Hoad suggests the whole set may be the same word as the one for “end”, as if “touch with a point”.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To strike, or to occur suddenly: about 1200 in Etymonline;^(Etymonline) figuratively in the 13th century in Hoad.^(Hoad 1986) A light blow: about 1450 in Barnhart, before 1466 in the OED.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ To strike lightly, to tap, is from the 1560s, in Golding's Ovid.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) To give, hand or pass was thieves' cant from 1610,^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) and to give a small present of money to a servant is from 1706–07, in Farquhar's The Beaux' Stratagem.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) The noun, a gratuity, is from 1755,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and a piece of confidential information, a hint, from 1845, with the verb “to give private information” by 1883.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) ''Tip the wink'' is from 1676,^(OED 1989) ''tipster'' from 1862,^(Barnhart 1988) and in cricket to hit a ball lightly from 1816.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The story that tip stands for “to insure promptitude” is a popular etymology attested from 1909 and rejected by contemporary reviewers.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1200 – to strike.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1450 – a light blow.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1560s – to tap.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1610 – to give, hand (cant).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1706 – to give a gratuity.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1755 – noun, a gratuity.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1845 – a hint.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1862 – ''tipster''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A small sum of money given for a service, in addition to the price; a [[gratuity]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A piece of useful advice or a [[hint]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A piece of inside information, as on a likely winner in a race.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A light blow or tap.^(AHD)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To give a tip to.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To predict as likely to win or succeed: ''tipped for the top job''.^(Collins 2023)

+ # To strike lightly; to tap.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''tip off'': to give a warning or secret information to.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[tipster]]

+ * [[tip-off]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[top]]

+ * [[tap]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}