Dip vs Dim - What's the difference?
dip | dim |
A lower section of a road or geological feature.
Inclination downward; direction below a horizontal line; slope; pitch.
The action of dipping or plunging for a moment into a liquid.
* Glover
A tank or trough where cattle or sheep are immersed in chemicals to kill parasites.
A dip stick.
A swim, usually a short swim to refresh.
(colloquial, dated) A pickpocket.
* 1906 , Fred L. Boalt, "
A sauce for dipping.
(geology) The angle from horizontal of a planar geologic surface, such as a fault line.
(archaic) A dipped candle.
To lower into a liquid.
* 1897 , (Bram Stoker), (Dracula) Chapter 21
To immerse oneself; to become plunged in a liquid; to sink.
* Coleridge
(of a value or rate) To decrease slightly.
To lower a light's beam.
To lower (a flag), particularly a national ensign, to a partially hoisted position in order to render or to return a salute. While lowered, the flag is said to be “at the dip.” A flag being carried on a staff may be dipped by leaning it forward at an approximate angle of 45 degrees.
To treat cattle or sheep by immersion in chemical solution.
To use a dip stick to check oil level in an engine.
To consume snuff by placing a pinch behind the lip or under the tongue so that the active chemical constituents of the snuff may be absorbed into the system for their narcotic effect.
To immerse for baptism.
* Charles Wheatly, A rational illustration of the Book of Common Prayer
To wet, as if by immersing; to moisten.
* Milton
To plunge or engage thoroughly in any affair.
* Dryden
To take out, by dipping a dipper, ladle, or other receptacle, into a fluid and removing a part; often with out .
To perform the action of plunging a dipper, ladle. etc. into a liquid or soft substance and removing a part.
* L'Estrange
To engage as a pledge; to mortgage.
* Dryden
To perform (a bow or curtsey) by inclining the body.
To incline downward from the plane of the horizon.
In archaic terms the difference between dip and dim
is that dip is a dipped candle while dim is dimness.In transitive terms the difference between dip and dim
is that dip is to perform (a bow or curtsey) by inclining the body while dim is to make something less bright.In intransitive terms the difference between dip and dim
is that dip is to incline downward from the plane of the horizon while dim is to become darker.As an adjective dim is
not bright or colorful.As an adverb dim is
dimly, indistinctly.dip
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) dippen, from (etyl) dyppan, from (etyl) , Dutch dopen, German taufen.Noun
(en noun)- There is a dip in the road ahead.
- the dip of oars in unison
- I'm going for a dip before breakfast.
The Snitcher", McClure's Magazine v.26, p.633
- The Moocher was a "dip " in a dilettante sort of way, and his particular graft was boarding street-cars with his papers and grabbing women's pocket-books.
- This onion dip is just scrumptious.
- (Marryat)
Derived terms
* lucky dipVerb
(dipp)- Dip your biscuit into your tea .
- He dipped the end of a towel in cold water and with it began to flick him on the face, his wife all the while holding her face between her hands and sobbing in a way that was heart breaking to hear.
- The sun's rim dips ; the stars rush out.
- Dip your lights as you meet an oncoming car.
- “The sailor rushed to the flag hoist to dip the flag in return.”
- The farmer is going to dip the cattle today.
- (Fuller)
- during the reigns of King James and King Charles I, there were but very few children dipped in the font.
- A cold shuddering dew / Dips me all o'er.
- He was dipt in the rebellion of the Commons.
- to dip''' water from a boiler; to '''dip out water
- Whoever dips too deep will find death in the pot.
- Live on the use and never dip thy lands.
- Strata of rock dip .
