tip off

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tip off (third-person singular simple present tips off, present participle tipping off, simple past and past participle tipped off)

1. (idiomatic, transitive) To alert or inform (someone), especially confidentially.

   An anonymous caller tipped off the police that the suspect would be in the area.

   Someone must have tipped him off. [A likely explanation for why he has disappeared.]

2. (basketball) To put the ball in play by throwing it up between two opponents.
   1. (of a sports match) To begin.

      The game tips off in an hour, so hurry back!

3. (transitive, obsolete) To pour out (liquor); to tip the vessel and drink until it is empty.
4. (transitive and intransitive, painting) To use a particular brush technique for producing a flawless surface on a wet coat of paint.

• (to alert or inform someone): inform, grass up, snitch; See also Thesaurus:rat out
• (to use a painting technique): lay off

• tip over, tip out

• tip-off (noun)