pip

Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Financial, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

Like this video? Subscribe to our free daily email and get a new idiom video every day!

be pipped at the post

To be defeated or overcome by someone by a very narrow margin or at the final, crucial moment, especially in a race, competition, or athletic event. Primarily heard in UK, Australia, Ireland. The favoured runner held the lead for the majority of the race, but he was pipped at the post by a relatively unknown competitor in the final 100 metres. It appears the current MP has been pipped at the post, being narrowly defeated by the youngest person to ever serve in parliament.

be pipped to the post

To be defeated or overcome by someone by a very narrow margin or at the final, crucial moment, especially in a race, competition, or athletic event. Primarily heard in UK, Australia, Ireland. The favoured runner held the lead for the majority of the race, but he was pipped to the post by a relatively unknown competitor in the final 100 metres. It appears the current MP has been pipped to the post, being narrowly defeated by the youngest person to ever serve in parliament.

get the pip

To be annoyed or unhappy. Although "the pip" is an avian disease, it came to be used to describe minor human maladies. A: "Don't tell me you're getting the pip at your new job already." B: "Of course I am—all they let me do is make copies and send faxes!"

give (one) the pip

To cause one to be annoyed or unhappy. Although "the pip" is an avian disease, it came to be used to describe minor human maladies. My new job is giving me the pip—all they let me do is make copies and send faxes.

like a chicken with the pip

In low spirits; in a weak or sickened state or manner. Poor little Johnny's been feeling like a chicken with the pip lately. I think he must have picked up a bug at school.

pip (someone) at the post

To defeat or succeed over someone by a very narrow margin or at the final, crucial moment, especially in a race, competition, or athletic event. Primarily heard in UK, Australia, Ireland. The favoured runner held the lead for the majority of the race, but a relatively unknown competitor pipped him at the post in the final 100 metres. It appears the young candidate is set to pip his competitor at the post for his seat in parliament, which would make him the youngest candidate from this constituency to do so in nearly 60 years.

pip (someone) to the post

To defeat or succeed over someone by a very narrow margin or at the final, crucial moment, especially in a race, competition, or athletic event. Primarily heard in UK, Australia, Ireland. The favoured runner held the lead for the majority of the race, but a relatively unknown competitor pipped him to the post in the final 100 metres. It appears the young candidate is set to pip his competitor to the post for his seat in parliament, which would make him the youngest candidate from this constituency to do so in nearly 60 years.

pipped

dated slang Drunk. We were all a little pipped after all that wine at lunch. Don't get too pipped—I need you to drive me home!

pipped up

dated slang Drunk. We were all a little pipped up after all that wine at lunch. Don't get too pipped up—I need you to drive me home!

squeeze (someone or something) until the pips squeak

To use force or pressure to exploit someone for as much money, information, manpower, etc., as someone has or is able to give. Primarily heard in UK. We were hoping to start our own business, but those loan sharks squeezed us until the pips squeaked with insanely high interest rates. Interrogators are planning to squeeze the captured spy until the pips squeak for all the information he may have about the enemy's plans.

toodle-pip

dated A quaint, informal, and lighthearted expression of farewell. Primarily heard in UK. Thank you for your hospitality, but I had best be going. Toodle-pip! She waved out the window of the train to her family and shouted, "Toodle-pip!"

pipped (up)

Sl. intoxicated. I'm not drunk. Just a little pipped up. She's pipped and ready to get sick.

pip someone at the post

pip someone to the post

BRITISH

If you pip someone at the post or pip them to the post, you just beat them in a competition or race to achieve something. Note: The following expressions refer to the finishing post in a horse race. She applied for a job at the university, but she got pipped at the post by a man with more publications to his name. He was pipped at the post for BAFTA's best Actor award by Robert Downey Jr.

give someone the pip

make someone irritated or depressed. informal, dated

Pip is a disease of poultry or other birds. In the late 15th century the word came to be used, often humorously, of various ill-defined or minor ailments suffered by people and so the informal sense of ‘ill humour’ developed.

1976 Scotsman I feel it's my duty but I'm not keen. My grandchildren give me the pip.

pip someone at (or to) the post

defeat someone at the last moment.

Pip was an informal late 19th-century term for ‘defeat’, but it is uncertain from which sense of the noun pip it derives. Post here is the winning post in a race.

squeeze someone until the pips squeak

extract the maximum amount of money from someone. British

This expression alludes to a speech made in 1918 by the British politician Sir Eric Geddes on the subject of Germany's payment of indemnities after World War I: ‘The Germans…are going to pay every penny; they are going to be squeezed as a lemon is squeezed—until the pips squeak’. More recently, in the 1970s, the Labour Chancellor Denis Healey declared his intention to squeeze the rich until the pips squeaked.

See also: pip, someone, squeak, squeeze, until

pip somebody at/to the ˈpost

(British English, informal) beat somebody in a race, competition, etc. by only a small amount or at the last moment: We thought we’d won the contract, but we were pipped at the post by a rival company. ♢ I was winning the race until Tina came up behind me and pipped me to the post.

pip

1. n. a pimple; a zit. Good grief, I’ve got ear-to-ear pips!

2. n. postindustrial person. (Usually PIP. Acronym. A cynical reference to a person as a member of a group that has become useless because of technological change.) The world really doesn’t really need more PIPs, except as consumers, of course.

3. n. illness; a mild, nonspecific disorder. (Old colloquial.) Grandpa’s complaining again. Says it’s the pip.

pipped (up)

mod. alcohol intoxicated. I’m not drunk. Just a little pipped up.

pipped

verb

See pipped up