flip
( flips 3rd person present) ( flipping present participle) ( flipped past tense & past participle )
1 verb If you flip a device on or off, or if you flip a switch, you turn it on or off by pressing the switch quickly.
(=flick)
Then he walked out, flipping the lights off... V n with on/off
He flipped the timer switch. V n
2 verb If you flip through the pages of a book, for example, you quickly turn over the pages in order to find a particular one or to get an idea of the contents.
He was flipping through a magazine in the living room... V through n
He flipped the pages of the diary and began reading the last entry. V n
3 verb If something flips over, or if you flip it over or into a different position, it moves or is moved into a different position.
The plane then flipped over and burst into flames... V adv/prep
He flipped it neatly on to the plate. V n prep/adv
4 verb If you flip something, especially a coin, you use your thumb to make it turn over and over, as it goes through the air.
(=toss)
I pulled a coin from my pocket and flipped it... V n
5 adj If you say that someone is being flip, you disapprove of them because you think that what they are saying shows they are not being serious enough about something.,
(disapproval)
...a flip answer..., The tone of the book is sometimes too flip.
flip chart ( flip charts plural ) , flipchart A flip chart is a stand with large sheets of paper which is used when presenting information at a meeting. n-count
flip-flop ( flip-flops plural & 3rd person present) ( flip-flopping present participle) ( flip-flopped past tense & past participle )
1 n-plural Flip-flops are open shoes which are held on your feet by a strap that goes between your toes.
(mainly BRIT)
in AM, usually use thongs
2 verb If you say that someone, especially a politician, flip-flops on a decision, you are critical of them because they change their decision, so that they do or think the opposite.
(mainly AM)
INFORMAL, disapproval He has been criticized for flip-flopping on several key issues... V on n
He seemed so sure of his decision, how could he flip-flop so dramatically now? V
Flip-flop is also a noun., n-count
The President's flip-flops on taxes made him appear indecisive.
flip side , flipside
1 n-sing The flip side of a record is the side that does not have the main song on it.
the N
`What's on the flip side?'
2 n-sing Theflip side of a situation consists of the less obvious or less pleasant aspects of it.
The trade deficit is the flip side of a rapidly expanding economy.