Pronunciation: /tɪp ɔf/

Definitions of tip off

noun a piece of advice or inside information given to someone

Example Sentences

A1 My friend gave me a tip off about a good restaurant in town.

A2 The tip off about the upcoming sale helped me save money on my purchase.

B1 The tip off from a reliable source led to the arrest of the criminal.

B2 The tip off from an insider proved to be invaluable in solving the case.

C1 The tip off from the informant was crucial in preventing a terrorist attack.

C2 The tip off from the whistleblower exposed corruption at the highest levels of government.

verb to give someone a hint or warning about something

Example Sentences

A1 My friend tipped me off about a great restaurant in town.

A2 I was tipped off by my coworker about the upcoming company party.

B1 The police were tipped off about the illegal activities happening in the neighborhood.

B2 The journalist was tipped off by a confidential source about the corruption scandal.

C1 The whistleblower tipped off the authorities about the unethical practices of the company.

C2 The undercover agent was tipped off about the terrorist plot by an informant.

preposition used to indicate the starting point of a race or competition

Example Sentences

A1 My friend tipped me off about a great restaurant in town.

A2 The tour guide tipped us off on where to find the best local souvenirs.

B1 The article tipped off readers to the potential dangers of the new technology.

B2 The informant tipped off the police about the location of the criminal hideout.

C1 The whistleblower tipped off the media about the company's unethical practices.

C2 The spy was careful not to tip off the enemy about the upcoming operation.

Examples of tip off in a Sentence

formal The informant decided to tip off the authorities about the illegal activities happening in the neighborhood.

informal I heard that someone tipped off the police about the party next door.

slang I'm gonna tip off my friend about the surprise party we're planning for her.

figurative Her sudden change in behavior tipped off her friends that something was wrong.

Grammatical Forms of tip off

past tense

tipped off

plural

tip offs

comparative

more tip off

superlative

most tip off

present tense

tip off

future tense

will tip off

perfect tense

have tipped off

continuous tense

is tipping off

singular

tip off

positive degree

tip off

infinitive

to tip off

gerund

tipping off

participle

tipped off

Origin and Evolution of tip off

First Known Use: 1930 year
Language of Origin: English
Story behind the word: The term 'tip off' originated in the world of sports, specifically in basketball, where it refers to the act of starting a game by tossing the ball into the air for the players to try and gain possession.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the term 'tip off' has expanded beyond sports to also mean providing a hint or piece of information to someone in order to give them an advantage or warning. The evolution of the word reflects its transition from a specific sports term to a more general usage in everyday language.