sip

1 of 2

verb

ˈsip 

sipped; sipping; sips

intransitive verb

: to take a sip of something especially repeatedly

And, sipping on the beer, he remembered romantic days of yore …

—John Nichols

I boil some tea with the salty hut water and sit outside sipping away for a while watching a blanket of stars unfold …

—Clarissa Hirst

transitive verb

1

: to drink (something) in small quantities

On crowded, bustling Broadway there is a spot where one may sip espresso …

—The New York Times

Northern bats are more likely to eat insects than to sip nectar …

—Ann Lovejoy

2

: to take sips from (something)

… sip complimentary glasses of Champagne.

—Harvey Steiman

sipper noun

sip

2 of 2

noun

plural sips

1

: a small amount of liquid taken into the mouth with the lips

Jimmy wriggled himself into a more comfortable position, and took a sip from his glass.

—P. G. Wodehouse

It's enormously complex, revealing new facets with every sip.

—Wine Enthusiast Magazine

2

: the act of sipping

Jews traditionally begin their weekly Sabbath meal with a sip of wine and a Hebrew prayer …

—Jeff Morgan

Synonyms

Verb

• belt (down)
• drink
• gulp
• guzzle
• hoist
• imbibe
• knock back
• pound (down)
• quaff
• slug (down)
• slurp
• sup
• swig
• swill
• toss (down or off)

Noun

• belt
• draft
• drag
• drink
• gulp
• nip
• quaff
• shot
• slug
• snort
• sup
• swallow
• swig
• swill

Examples of sip in a Sentence

Verb

She sipped her coffee while she watched the sun rise.

He sipped on the bottle of water.

Noun

there are a few sips left in the glass

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

There’s a big crowd sipping on an assortment of cocktails from the open bar while watching the results come in. —Curbed Staff, Curbed, 6 Nov. 2024

This is not just a new drink lineup, but a signal, a cultural zeitgeist, inviting customers to pause, sip, and indulge. —Kate Hardcastle, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

Noun

This complexity is designed to evolve over time, revealing new nuances with each sip, much like how Basquiat’s layered works of art reveal deeper meaning upon closer inspection. —Rachel King, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

Smaller sips are also tied to an old tradition called the bartender’s handshake: The ritual involves offering a small, 1- or 2-ounce drink or shot to welcome a fellow bartender. —Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English sippen; akin to Low German sippen to sip

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1633, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

sip

1 of 2 verb

ˈsip 

sipped; sipping

1

: to drink in small quantities or little by little

2

: to take sips from : taste

sipper noun

sip

2 of 2 noun

1

: the act of sipping

2

: a small amount taken by sipping