colloq. or slang. [perh. from TIP v.1, with the notion of tipping or lightly touching the arm or elbow of a person by way of a private hint, or from TIP v.4 in the phrase to tip (any one) a wink.]
A piece of useful private or special information communicated by an expert; a friendly hint; spec. ‘an advice concerning betting or a Stock Exchange speculation intended to benefit the recipient’ (Farmer, Slang); also, a hint as to special points thought likely to come up in an examination; hence transf. a special device, ‘wrinkle,’ ‘dodge.’ Also attrib.
The simple word was prob. in use before 1845.
1845. Athenæum, Oct., 964/2. Xenophon’s Expedition of Cyrus, Books i. ii. iii. Translated literally…. Of such books as this (‘tip-books’ as school-boys call them,) … we doubt the value.
1865. Daily Tel., 4 Dec., 4/4. Dejected prophets who have never yet made a single lucky political ‘tip.’
1867. F. Francis, Angling, i. (1880), 44. A tip from a good man on the spot is most useful.
1868. Morning Star, 10 March. The evil of cramming and of ‘tips’ will be increased by the new scheme, instead of being diminished.
1886. Q. Rev., July, 175. To keep the Foreign Office promptly supplied with every commercial ‘tip’ that can be of use to British trade.
1888. Annie S. Swan, Doris Cheyne, i. My father was a stock-broker, and he taught me all the tips he knew.
1899. T. M. Ellis, Three Cat’s-Eye Rings, 21. Offering her good tips for sporting events.
Mod. A successful crammer, clever at giving ‘tips’ for an examination.
b. The straight tip: see quots.
1871. Punch, 26 Aug., 78/2. Honest advice as to wagering will henceforth be known as the straight tip.
1873. Slang Dict., s.v., The ‘straight tip’ is the tip which comes direct from the owner or trainer of a horse. Of late years a ‘straight tip’ means a direct hint on any subject.
1879. Miss Braddon, Clov. Foot, xxxviii. That’s a kind of thing we never tell. We got the straight tip; that’s all you need know.
1894. Doyle, S. Holmes, 7. Let me have the straight tip and you won’t be a loser.
c. transf. Something with respect to which a ‘tip’ is given; e.g., the probable winner in a race.
1873. Besant & Rice, Little Girl, II. xxiii. He had on some … occasions taken a long shot, backed a tip or a fancy.
1886. St. Stephen’s Rev., 13 March, 11/2. Florin [racehorse], who was a great tip, performed most moderately.
d. To miss one’s tip: orig. in circus slang (see quot. 1897); hence, to fail in one’s aim or object.
1854. Dickens, Hard T., I. vi. Jupe [a circus clown] has missed his tip very often, lately…. Was short in his leaps and bad in his tumbling…. In a general way that’s missing his tip.
1857. Hughes, Tom Brown, I. iv. One … runs right at the leaders, as though he’d ketch ’em by the heads, only luck’ly for him he misses his tip, and comes over a heap o’ stones first.
1887. W. Westall, Two Millions, xx. I. 175. One of those fellows who have missed their tip somehow, and come down in life.
1897. Barrère & Leland, Dict. Slang, To miss the tip, (circus),… in exhibitions it has a special application to the performer not understanding or catching the tip or word which indicates that he must act.
e. Comb., tip-book: see quot. 1845 above.
