drip

1 of 4

verb

dripped; dripping

transitive verb

1
: to let fall in drops
a brush dripping paint
2
: to let out or seem to spill copiously
her voice dripping sarcasm
trees dripping Spanish moss

intransitive verb

1
a
: to let fall drops of moisture or liquid
wet clothes dripping onto the floor
b
: to overflow with or as if with moisture
stories dripping with pop-culture references
toast dripping with butter
2
: to fall in or as if in drops
let the excess drip off
3
: to waft or pass gently
dripper noun

drip

2 of 4

noun

plural drips
1
: a part of a cornice or other member that projects to throw off rainwater
also : an overlapping metal strip or an underneath groove for the same purpose
2
a
: a falling in drops
a constant drip of water from the leaky faucet
b
: liquid that falls, overflows, or is extruded in drops
a pan to catch drips
3
: the sound made by or as if by falling drops
heard a drip
He said to the housing man … 'The floor goes creak, the tap goes drip drip …'Chris Smith
4
: a device for the administration of a fluid at a slow rate especially into a vein
A drip needle is often inserted at the beginning of a stay in the ward and, as one might expect, the attachment to a drip has salient implications for the way in which the hospital stay is experienced.Rosemary Blake
also : a material so administered
The practice of using IVs as a means of rehydration for athletes isn't new. Healthy elites have reportedly gotten saline-only drips for recovery for at least 20 years. Megan Hetzel et al.
5
: a dull or unattractive person
… [Charles Dickens' character] David Copperfield, in manhood, is not an especially interesting person. ("He's such a drip," commented a friend of mine.)James Parker
6
African American English : a fashionable style or look
Now I just need to get her an oversized graphic tee and some slick joggers to complete her drip.Antonio G. Di Benedetto
Drip check. Show me what looks you're serving …@AscendantNomad, on Twitter
also : something (such as fashionable clothing or jewelry) that is part of one's drip
Racks of clothing line the walls as you enter the apartment, studio and workspace of local rapper Smoke Stkz, and not because his closet wouldn't fit the entirety of his drip. Ryann Gordon
What was [Rihanna] thinking introducing the baby to the world, appearing casual in jeans … but actually wearing … Chanel (both the jacket and the costume-jewelry drip) … Zoe Guy
… humans are extending their shoe "drip" to horses who can now have trendy kicks for the first time, a company says. Camille Fine

drip

3 of 4

adjective

: of, relating to, or being coffee made by letting boiling water drip slowly through finely ground coffee
drip coffee
a drip pot

DRIP

4 of 4

abbreviation

dividend reinvestment plan

Examples of drip in a Sentence

Verb Water dripped from a leak in the ceiling. Blood dripped down his leg from the cut. Hot wax dripped onto my fingers. The pine trees dripped sap onto the cars. The kids dripped water all over the house. Noun Drips of water fell from a leak in the ceiling. We heard the drip of the rain. the steady drip, drip, drip of the faucet Water fell from the ceiling in a steady drip. The doctor put the patient on a morphine drip to manage the pain. Don't invite that drip to your party!
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
His face is pale, his shirt and jeans both drip red with blood. Toby Muse, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2024 Allow excess egg to drip off and transfer the chops to the plate with the panko mixture. Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2024 Regardless of the technique and what's packed inside, every juicy and tender bite of boudin promises a satisfying—albeit fleeting—sensation of grease dripping down the chin. Michelle Darrisaw, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2024 That was where Lil sat for long minutes after every trip now, head bowed, sweat furrowing down her gray forearms, dripping from her fingertips onto the gray floor. Elizabeth Barber, Harper's Magazine, 9 Feb. 2024 This being France, one pleasure drips into another. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2024 Clarkson was also dripping in diamonds from Jared Atelier worth more than $200,000. Sabienna Bowman, Peoplemag, 5 Feb. 2024 The cosmic metallic tones created steel gazes, with drool dripping from the corners of the mouth. India Espy-Jones, Essence, 21 Feb. 2024 With walls painted black, plumes of feathers on the wall, a stripper pole and purple silks dripping from the ceiling, just what exactly is the new business that just opened in a north Charlotte shopping center? Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 6 Feb. 2024
Noun
The color was seamless to prepare, took less than five minutes to apply, and has a thick formula that stayed in place during the 45-minute development period with no drips. Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024 Put it in the hopper and make an extra circle or two around the trees’ drip lines. Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Mar. 2024 The first lawsuit brought amid reports that a nurse at a southern Oregon hospital replaced intravenous fentanyl drips with tap water seeks up to $11.5 million on behalf of the estate of a 65-year-old man who died. CBS News, 29 Feb. 2024 Let cold water drip from the faucet connected to pipes that are exposed outdoors or in unheated interior areas. Staff Reports, The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2024 Wine enthusiasts will appreciate that the wine pourer helps aerate the wine and prevents spills and drips. Maya Polton, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Feb. 2024 Set up your hose and sprinkler to water all around the drip line (outer branch tips) of trees or close to the trunk if the tree is new or young. Betty Cahill, The Denver Post, 29 Jan. 2024 Right now labs in Germany, Russia and Canada make this isotope, but most of Earth’s actinium 225 drips out of a supply of thorium 229 in the form of old nuclear waste that lives at ORNL. Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2024 In addition to things like group yoga and meditation sessions, the lab offers cutting-edge therapies, such as IV drips and cryotherapy. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 13 Feb. 2024
Adjective
The 70-watt machine is equipped with a BPA-free dome lid, integrated sensor that activates when pressure is applied, stainless steel and anti-corrosive reamer and strainer, and non-drip spout to deliver breakfast juice or cocktail ingredients directly to your glass in a few seconds flat. Alyson Sheppard, Robb Report, 5 Aug. 2021 Jamie Kim's first job at Good Housekeeping Institute was testing a variety of consumer products, and one of her first tests was drip coffee makers. Jamie Kim, Good Housekeeping, 28 Feb. 2023 Richard came into prominence on the art scene for his drip-style paintings and celebrity portraits that have featured Marc Jacobs, Justin Bieber and Beyoncé, just to name a few. Dana Givens, Robb Report, 18 Nov. 2022 There's also a foil cutter and an aerator with a drip-free spout, plus two stoppers with a pump to preserve unfinished wine. Rachel Klein, Popular Mechanics, 7 Dec. 2022 The extra wide handle and non-drip spout make this teapot very comfortable to use. Adria Greenhauff, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Nov. 2022 According to the brand, this model is quiet and features an anti-drip leaver that helps avoid messes from dripping. Brigitt Earley, Good Housekeeping, 31 May 2022 What's more, the Rowenta is manufactured with an anti-drip system, which stops water from spitting out of the soleplate when the temperature is too low. Janine Henni, PEOPLE.com, 15 Apr. 2022 Over the years, Israel has used technology to transform the Negev, covering more than half the country, into an agricultural region where high-tech, drip-irrigated farms grow crops like cherry tomatoes, melons and dates. Washington Post, 15 Nov. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'drip.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English drippen, from Old English dryppan; akin to Old English dropa drop

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1625, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Adjective

1895, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of drip was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near drip

Cite this Entry

“Drip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drip. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

drip

1 of 2 verb
dripped; dripping
1
: to fall or let fall in or as if in drops
2
: to let fall drops of liquid
a dripping faucet
dripper noun

drip

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: a falling in drops
b
: liquid that drips
2
: the sound made by drops

Medical Definition

drip

1 of 2 verb
dripped; dripping

transitive verb

: to let fall in drops

intransitive verb

1
: to let fall drops of moisture or liquid
2
: to fall in drops

drip

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: a falling in drops see postnasal drip
b
: liquid that falls, overflows, or is extruded in drops
2
: a device for the administration of a fluid at a slow rate especially into a vein
was hooked up to an intravenous drip
also : a material so administered
a glucose drip
see gravity drip

More from Merriam-Webster on drip

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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