TIP-OFF Meaning of TIP-OFF in English [tip-off] n [[8]tip] (1901) 1: warning, tip 2: a telltale sign [2]tip-off n [[6]tip] (1922): the act or an instance of putting the ball in play in basketball by a jump ball Merriam-Webster English vocab. Английский словарь Merriam Webster. 2012