English Explanatory Dictionary

fillip

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The action of holding the tip of a finger against the thumb and then releasing it with a snap; a flick.
  2. A sharp strike or tap made using this action, or (by extension) by other means.
  3. Something unimportant, a trifle; also, the brief time it takes to flick one's finger (see noun sense 1); a jiffy.
  4. Something that excites or stimulates.
verb
  1. To strike, project, or propel with a fillip (that is, a finger released quickly after being pressed against the thumb); to flick.
  2. To project quickly; to snap.
  3. To strike or tap smartly.
  4. To drive as if by a fillip (noun sense 1); to excite, stimulate, whet.
  5. To make a fillip (noun sense 1) (with the fingers).

Pronunciation

/ˈfɪlɪp/ En-uk-fillip.oga

Word forms

fillip fillips filliping fillipping filliped fillipped

Etymology

From Middle English filippen, philippe (“to flick or snap a finger from against the thumb”); further origin uncertain, but probably imitative. See flip. It is not clear whether the verb is derived from the noun, or vice versa.

Synonyms

flick ping inflame animate awaken electrify enflame enkindle enthrill exagitate excite exhilarate exsuscitate fillip fire fire the blood galvanize gin up ignite intoxicate kindle quicken rouse send set fire to set on fire sharpen stir the blood suscitate thrill vitalise wake warm the blood whet wind up work up yerk

Related words

flip

Derived words

filliping
This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.
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