German Conversation · Level 144
30 words
German word
kippen
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈkɪpən/
Meaning
- verbtilt
Example
Er kippt den Kopf leicht zur Seite.
He tilts his head slightly to one side.
More examples
Die Stimmung im Raum kippt nach der Diskussion.
The mood in the room changes after the discussion.
Core concept
A container tips to one side so its contents run out; the same motion describes a tilted head and, colloquially, a drink going down quickly.
Common phrases
die Stimmung kippen
the mood changes
das Gleichgewicht kippen
the balance tips
Similar words
neigen: To give a body or object a slight sideways tilt.
leeren: To remove everything from a container.
ausgießen: To pour a liquid out from a container.
exen: To down an alcoholic drink quickly, in colloquial use.
Definition in German
etwas so neigen, dass der Inhalt herausfließt; umgangssprachlich auch etwas schnell trinken
Word origin
Kippen comes from Middle Low German kippen, meaning to tilt or tip, and its colloquial drinking sense extends this motion to tipping a drink back.
Usage tips
- In the drinking sense, kippen is colloquial; ein Bier kippen means to drink a beer quickly, not simply to pour it.
Other meanings
- tip oververb
- leanverb
- pourverb
Opposites
- stabilisierenstabilizeverb
- ausgleichenbalance outverb
Related words
- das Kippentippingnoun
- auskippentip outverb