flip

1 of 3

verb

ˈflip 

flipped; flipping; flips

transitive verb

1

: to toss so as to cause to turn over in the air

flip a coin

flip a pancake

also : toss

flip me the ball

flip one end of the scarf over your shoulder

2

a

: to cause to turn and especially to turn over

flipped the car

flipping the pages of a book

b

: to move with a small quick motion

flip a switch

c

: to turn (something) on or off with a switch

flip on/off the lights

d

: to change or move through (channels, stations, etc.) quickly

flipping channels with the remote control

3

: to buy and usually renovate (real estate) so as to quickly resell at a higher price

He's flipped three houses for a substantial profit.

4

: to cause or persuade (a witness) to cooperate in prosecuting a criminal case against an associate

… wrote that the … probe seemed to have reached the stage where investigators are in the process of flipping witnesses.

—Nancy LeTourneau

intransitive verb

1

: to make a twitching or flicking movement

the fish flipped and flopped on the deck

2

a

: to turn or roll from one side to the other : turn over

The crab had flipped onto its back.

The car flipped over.

b

: to do a somersault in the air : to do a flip

He flipped off the diving board.

3

a

: to change from one state, position, subject, etc., to another

The job market flipped from hot to cold.

The commercial flipped back and forth between scenes of country life and city life.

b

: to change or move through channels, pages, etc.

He sat on the couch flipping through the channels.

flip to another station

flip through the pages of a magazine

c

: to cooperate in the prosecution of a criminal case against an associate

Before sentencing, two more members defected …. And, soon after receiving his 45-year sentence in May 1989, Leonetti flipped, too.

—Marguerite Del Giudice

4

slang

a

: to lose one's reason or composure

She completely flipped when she heard about her son's accident.

see also flip one's lid, flip out

b

: to become very enthusiastic

flip

2 of 3

noun

1

: a mixed drink usually consisting of a sweetened spiced liquor with beaten eggs

2

: an act or instance of flipping

3

: the motion used in flipping

4

: a somersault especially in the air

5

: a holder for a collectible coin made of vinyl or cardboard with a plastic window and often having a sleeve in which to place an identifying insert

flip

3 of 3

adjective

: flippant, impertinent

Phrases

flip the script

informal

: to achieve an outcome or adopt an approach that is opposite to or completely different from what has happened or been done previously

Now, having won three of the last nine majors, Mickelson has flipped the script on Woods.

—Alan Shipnuck

… the chance to flip the script, to go from 0-6 with a chance to finish the second half of the year 5-1, is motivating Nebraska players this week.

—Steve Batterson

If you let your inner critic do all the talking, of course she's going to chip away at your self-esteem. Make a conscious choice to flip the script for the next week and see how dramatically it alters your outlook.

—Petra Guglielmetti

Synonyms

Verb

• leaf
• riffle
• skim
• thumb

Adjective

• cute
• facetious
• flippant
• pert
• smart
• smart-aleck
• smart-alecky
• smart-ass
• smart-assed
• smarty-pants
• wise
• wiseass

Examples of flip in a Sentence

Verb

She was sitting in the waiting room, flipping the pages of a magazine.

His car flipped over on the interstate.

Noun

the flip of a coin

She turned on the lights with the flip of a switch.

Adjective

made some flip comment about the marriage between the old man and the considerably younger woman

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

In the 2022 November election, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer won reelection and Democrats flipped the state House and Senate from GOP control for the first time in 40 years. —Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press, 2 Nov. 2024

Trump previously won all three states in 2016, with President Biden flipping them back in 2020. —Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 2 Nov. 2024

Noun

Many attribute California's flip from red to blue to the 1994 passing of Proposition 187, a ballot that aimed to restrict undocumented migrants' access to public services. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024

What’s at stake: The district is one of only two Democratic congressional districts in all of Indiana and the 2024 race is the second election cycle that Republicans have eyed the seat as a potential flip to grow their party’s majority in the House. —USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024

Adjective

The Row’s pre-spring 2025 collection makes a case for slouchy pants with lacy dresses, even styled underneath sweaters — paired with flip flops, no less. —Kaitlin Clapinski, refinery29.com, 25 Oct. 2024

At least twice this summer, she's been seen carrying St Agni's ludicrously capacious Oversized Nubuck Satchel with casual white T-shirts and lounge pants that puddle around her flip flops or glove flats. —Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 20 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb, Noun, and Adjective

probably imitative

First Known Use

Verb

1616, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1695, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1823, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing flip

• flip burgers
• flip chart
• flip-flop
• flip off
• flip one's lid
• flip one's wig
• flip open
• flip out
• flip phone
• flip side
• flip (someone) the bird
• on the flip side
• the other/opposite/flip side of the coin
• toss/flip a coin

Kids Definition

flip

1 of 3 verb

ˈflip 

flipped; flipping

1

: to turn by tossing

flip a coin

2

: to turn over quickly

flip the pages of a magazine

3

: flick entry 2 sense 1

flip a switch

4

: to get excited or angry

you'll flip when you hear this

flip

2 of 3 noun

1

: an act or instance of flipping

2

: a somersault especially in the air

flip

3 of 3 adjective

: flippant