Pip

Pronunciation

• enPR: pÄ­p, IPA: /pɪp/
• Rhymes: -ɪp

From Middle English pippe, from Middle Dutch pip, from post-classical Latin pipita, from Latin pītuīta.

Full definition of pip

Noun

1. Any of various respiratory diseases in birds, especially infectious coryza. from the 15th c.
2. (humorous) Of humans, a disease, malaise or depression.
• 1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, With this deal Uncle Tom's got on with Homer Cream, it would be fatal to risk giving Cream the pip in any way.

Derived terms

• like a chicken with the pip

Apparently representing a shortened form of pippin.

Noun

1. (obsolete) A pippin.
2. A seed inside certain fleshy fruits (compare stone/pit), such as an peach, orange, or apple.
3. (US, colloquial) Something or someone excellent, of high quality.
• 2006, Thomas Pynchon, Against the Day, Vintage 2007, p. 612:She sure is a pip, that one. You need company?
4. (British, dated, WW I, signalese) P in RAF phonetic alphabet

Derived terms

• pip emma

Origin uncertain, perhaps related to Etymology 2, above.

Noun

1. One of the spots or symbols on a playing card, domino, die, etc.
2. (military, public service) One of the stars worn on the shoulder of a uniform to denote rank, e.g. of a soldier or a fireman.
3. A spot; a speck.
4. A spot of light or an inverted V indicative of a return of radar waves reflected from an object; a blip.
5. A piece of rhizome with a dormant shoot of the lily of the valley plant, used for propagation

Synonyms

• (symbol on playing card etc) spot

Verb

1. To get the better of; to defeatHe led throughout the race but was pipped at the post.
2. To hit with a gunshotThe hunter managed to pip three ducks from his blind.

Imitative.

Verb

1. To peep, to chirp
2. (avian biology) To make the initial hole during the process of hatching from an egg

Imitative.

Noun

1. One of a series of very short, electronically produced tones, used, for example, to count down the final few seconds before a given time or to indicate that a caller using a payphone needs to make further payment if he is to continue his call.

Synonyms

• (electronic sound, counting down seconds) stroke

Abbreviation of percentage in

Noun

1. (finance, currency trading) The smallest price increment between two currencies in foreign exchange (forex) trading.

Related terms

• pip to the post
• pip at the post
• pipsqueak
• give the pip to, give someone the pip

Anagrams

• PPI