Meaning & use
fly-tip
Last updated
Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitiveBritish
to dump waste illegally on land that is not a proper waste site
Grammar: Can take an object (fly-tip rubbish) or be used without one (people who fly-tip).
Patterns
- fly-tip something
- fly-tip on something
- be fly-tipped
Someone fly-tipped a pile of old mattresses behind the shops.
The council fines anyone caught fly-tipping in the park.
Builders often fly-tip rubble on quiet country lanes to avoid paying fees.
nouncountableBritishinformal
an act of dumping waste illegally, or the waste dumped in this way
Grammar: Usually singular; the plural 'fly-tips' is rare but possible.
Patterns
- a fly-tip
- report a fly-tip
The alley was blocked by a huge fly-tip.
Residents reported a fly-tip near the school gates.
Word forms
| third person singular | fly-tips |
|---|---|
| past tense | fly-tipped |
| past participle | fly-tipped |
| -ing form | fly-tipping |
| plural | fly-tips |
Common combinations
- fly-tip waste
- Companies that fly-tip waste face heavy fines.
- illegal fly-tipping
- The council launched a campaign against illegal fly-tipping.
- fly-tipping hotspot
- This lane is a known fly-tipping hotspot.
- report a fly-tip
- You can report a fly-tip through the council's website.
Synonyms and how they differ
- dump
- More general and not necessarily illegal; 'fly-tip' specifically means illegal dumping in the UK.
Word family
- fly-tipping noun
- The activity or crime of dumping waste illegally.
- fly-tipper noun
- A person who dumps waste illegally.
Commonly confused: fly-tip or tip?
fly-tip vs tip
A 'tip' can be a legal place to leave rubbish or a payment; 'fly-tip' always means illegal dumping.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'fly-tip' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Only option 1 describes illegal dumping. Option 0 is wrong because dumping at an official site is legal; option 2 is wrong because giving clothes to charity is not illegal; option 3 is wrong because a fly-tip is not collected by regular services.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “fly-tip”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.