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tip-off

[ tip-awf, -of ]

/ ˈtɪpˌɔf, -ˌɒf /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR tip-off ON THESAURUS.COM

noun Informal.

the act of tipping off.

a hint or warning: They got a tip-off on the raid.

Origin of tip-off

First recorded in 1910–15; noun use of verb phrase tip off

Words nearby tip-off

tip one's hand, tip sheet, tip the balance, tip truck, tip-in, tip-off, tip-on, tip-tilted, tip-up, tip-up table, tipburn

Example sentences from the Web for tip-off

A tip-off from British intelligence led to his arrest and subsequent conviction.

Five Years On, Mumbai Terror Masterminds Still at Large |Bruce Riedel |November 18, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
The tip-off was the hundred percent pregnancy of one whole test-batch.

Breeder Reaction |Winston Marks
It wasn't until early on the morning of the third day after Howley's arrest that I got a tip-off from one of my part-time spies.

...Or Your Money Back |Gordon Randall Garrett
That was after the tip-off, as a freshman girl told Mrs. Lee.

Betty Lee, Sophomore |David Goodger (goodger@python.org)

Jacques nodded, explaining that the message, relayed by tip-off men to his uncle, had been intended for Joe Matt.

Dan Carter and the River Camp |Mildred A. Wirt
That's the tip-off; when a souse won't listen to your gentle voice, it's time to change your system of approach.

Old Man Curry |Charles E. (Charles Emmett) Van Loan

British Dictionary definitions for tip-off

tip-off

noun

a warning or hint, esp given confidentially and based on inside information

basketball the act or an instance of putting the ball in play by a jump ball

verb tip off

(tr, adverb) to give a hint or warning to