sip

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitive or intransitive

   To drink in small mouthfuls, slowly.

   Grammar: Takes an object or stands alone: sip tea, sip slowly.

   Patterns

   • sip something
   • sip at something

   She sipped her coffee while reading the paper.

   He sat on the porch, sipping at a cold lemonade.

   Sip slowly; the soup is hot.

2. 2nouncountable

   A very small amount of drink taken into the mouth at one time.

   Grammar: Usually a sip of something.

   Patterns

   • a sip of something
   • take a sip

   She took a sip of water before she spoke.

   Can I have a sip of your juice?

   One sip told him the milk had gone sour.

Word forms

Common combinations

sip tea

They sat sipping tea in the garden.

take a sip

He took a sip and made a face.

sip slowly

Sip slowly so you can taste the flavors.

sip a drink

She sipped her drink and watched the crowd.

a tentative sip

He took a tentative sip of the strange soup.

Synonyms and how they differ

gulp

Gulp means to swallow quickly in large amounts, the opposite of sip.

taste

Taste means trying a little to judge the flavor, while sip is about the way you drink.

nurse

Nurse a drink means to make it last a long time, which is more about time than size of mouthful.

swig

Swig is informal for a big mouthful, usually of alcohol, so it is the reverse of sip.

Opposites

Word family

sipper noun

a person who sips, or a cup with a spout

sippy cup noun

a spill-proof cup for small children

sipping noun

the act of drinking in small amounts

Commonly confused: sip or sup?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “sip”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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