sip

1 of 2

verb

ˈsip 

sipped; sipping; sips

intransitive verb

: to take a sip of something especially repeatedly

And, sipping on the beer, he remembered romantic days of yore …

—John Nichols

I boil some tea with the salty hut water and sit outside sipping away for a while watching a blanket of stars unfold …

—Clarissa Hirst

transitive verb

1

: to drink (something) in small quantities

On crowded, bustling Broadway there is a spot where one may sip espresso …

—The New York Times

Northern bats are more likely to eat insects than to sip nectar …

—Ann Lovejoy

2

: to take sips from (something)

… sip complimentary glasses of Champagne.

—Harvey Steiman

sipper noun

sip

2 of 2

noun

plural sips

1

: a small amount of liquid taken into the mouth with the lips

Jimmy wriggled himself into a more comfortable position, and took a sip from his glass.

—P. G. Wodehouse

It's enormously complex, revealing new facets with every sip.

—Wine Enthusiast Magazine

2

: the act of sipping

Jews traditionally begin their weekly Sabbath meal with a sip of wine and a Hebrew prayer …

—Jeff Morgan

Synonyms

Verb

• belt (down)
• drink
• gulp
• guzzle
• hoist
• imbibe
• knock back
• pound (down)
• quaff
• slug (down)
• slurp
• sup
• swig
• swill
• toss (down or off)

Noun

• belt
• draft
• drag
• drink
• gulp
• nip
• quaff
• shot
• slug
• snort
• sup
• swallow
• swig
• swill

Examples of sip in a Sentence

Verb

She sipped her coffee while she watched the sun rise.

He sipped on the bottle of water.

Noun

there are a few sips left in the glass

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

That’s when these two glittering divas (spot-on costumes by Maggie Morgan) sip champagne and plot improprieties that would make a TikTok sexpert blush. —Karen D'souza, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024

James Franco is tucked away in the corner of a five-star hotel lobby on Rome’s Via Veneto, sipping an Americano coffee. —Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 25 Oct. 2024

Noun

Once your recipes are blended to your ideal consistency, add the sip cup top and take it with you or stash it in the fridge for later. —Shea Simmons, People.com, 10 Oct. 2024

Take a sip to find agave-first flavors, with additional notes of bright citrus, cinnamon and anise. —Kevin Gray, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English sippen; akin to Low German sippen to sip

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1633, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

sip

1 of 2 verb

ˈsip 

sipped; sipping

1

: to drink in small quantities or little by little

2

: to take sips from : taste

sipper noun

sip

2 of 2 noun

1

: the act of sipping

2

: a small amount taken by sipping