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

Knicks Film School's Rit Holtzman also notes that more accurate tip-off times, play reviews (which often revolve around trivial fouls prior to the fourth quarters of games), free throw shooting policies, and timeouts often bog down games plenty. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025

The Red Raiders were short-handed as standout forward Darrion Williams was ruled out just before tip-off. —Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Jan. 2025

Despite its already historic strides in the sport of women’s basketball, Friday night’s game itself provided a unique brand of excitement from tip-off. —C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 19 Jan. 2025

Here’s what to know about Unrivaled ahead of its inaugural tip-off: How the league works Unrivaled’s first season will feature six teams playing against one another for two months. —Russell Leung, CNBC, 17 Jan. 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

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