tip-off

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈtip-ˌȯf 

1

: warning, tip

2

: a telltale sign

tip-off

2 of 2

noun (2)

: the act or an instance of putting the ball in play in basketball by a jump ball

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• caution
• red flag
• red light
• tocsin
• wake-up call
• warning

Examples of tip-off in a Sentence

Noun (1)

the retreat of the island's wildlife to higher ground was a tip-off that a tsunami was about to strike

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The less than a minute long tribute video the Heat played before the game also featured booing from the sprinkling of South Floridians that actually showed up before tip-off. —Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2025

To celebrate, Ore Ida is giving away free tater tots nationwide during the game, from tip-off to final buzzer, which is approximately four hours. —Moná Thomas, People.com, 26 Mar. 2025

Read on to discover how to watch March Madness 2025 live for free, from the opening tip-off to the final buzzer in San Antonio. —Jenzia Burgos, StyleCaster, 18 Mar. 2025

Selection Sunday is in the books and the brackets for the 2025 NCAA men's and women's tournaments are ready for tip-off. —Justin L. MacK, Axios, 17 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

tip entry 8

Noun (2)

tip entry 5

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1901, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1922, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tip-off

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff

Kids Definition

tip-off

1 of 2 noun

ˈtip-ˌȯf

1

: a warning that something is going to happen

2

: a telltale sign

tip-off

2 of 2 noun

: the start of a basketball game when the ball is thrown in the air and a player from each team jumps up and tries to get the ball