kips

Meanings

1. 1nounpluralinformal

   Units of weight equal to one thousand pounds, used especially in the United States and Britain.

   Grammar: Used as a plural noun; the singular 'kip' is rare in everyday speech but appears in technical writing.

   Patterns

   • weigh a number of kips
   • a load of number kips

   The steel beam can carry a load of about forty kips.

   Engineers measured the bridge's capacity in kips rather than tons.

2. 2nounsingularBritishinformal

   A short sleep, especially one taken during the day.

   Grammar: Countable noun; often used in the phrase 'take a kip' or 'have a kip'.

   Patterns

   • have a kip
   • take a kip

   I'm going to have a quick kip before dinner.

   He took a kip on the sofa after lunch.

Word forms

Common combinations

a few kips

The crane can lift a few kips without straining.

have a kip

She likes to have a kip in the afternoon.

take a kip

He took a kip on the train home.

kip down

We kipped down on the floor at my friend's flat.

Synonyms and how they differ

nap

A nap is a short sleep, usually in bed or a chair; a kip is more informal and often British.

doze

A doze is a light, brief sleep; a kip can be a planned short rest.

thousand pounds

This is the full phrase for the weight unit; 'kips' is the abbreviated technical form.

Word family

kip noun

The singular form, meaning one thousand pounds or a short sleep.

kipping verb

The act of sleeping, especially in a casual or temporary place (British informal).

Commonly confused: kips or kips?

Practice

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