v. & n.
v. (dipped, dipping) 1 tr. put or let down briefly into liquid etc.; immerse. 2 intr. a go below a surface or level (the sun dipped below the horizon). b (of a level of income, activity, etc.) decline slightly, esp. briefly (profits dipped in May). 3 intr. extend downwards; take or have a downward slope (the road dips after the bend). 4 intr. go under water and emerge quickly. 5 intr. (foll. by into) a read briefly from (a book etc.). b take a cursory interest in (a subject). 6 (foll. by into) a intr. put a hand, ladle, etc., into a container to take something out. b tr. put (a hand etc.) into a container to do this. c intr. spend from or make use of one's resources (dipped into our savings). 7 tr. & intr. lower or be lowered, esp. in salute. 8 tr. Brit. lower the beam of (a vehicle's headlights) to reduce dazzle. 9 tr. colour (a fabric) by immersing it in dye. 10 tr. wash (sheep) by immersion in a vermin-killing liquid. 11 tr. make (a candle) by immersing a wick briefly in hot tallow. 12 tr. baptize by immersion. 13 tr. (often foll. by up, out of) remove or scoop up (liquid, grain, etc., or something from liquid).
n. 1 an act of dipping or being dipped. 2 a liquid into which something is dipped. 3 a brief bathe in the sea, river, etc. 4 a brief downward slope, followed by an upward one, in a road etc. 5 a sauce or dressing into which food is dipped before eating. 6 a depression in the skyline. 7 Astron. & Surveying the apparent depression of the horizon from the line of observation, due to the curvature of the earth. 8 Physics the angle made with the horizontal at any point by the earth's magnetic field. 9 Geol. the angle a stratum makes with the horizon. 10 sl. a pickpocket. 11 a quantity dipped up. 12 a candle made by dipping. dip-switch a switch for dipping a vehicle's headlight beams.
[ OE dyppan f. Gmc: rel. to DEEP ]