English Language Discussion Forums

PROESL · #1 22-Aug-2009, 17:32

To help develop fluency in English, it's, of course, important to learn new words. However, it's also important to know the ways in which we use words in combination with other words. From the simplest English words, it is sometimes possible to learn a number of expressions simply by knowing how a word is used. So what does it mean to really know a word? Knowing a word means understanding a number of common ways in which it is used by native speakers of English.

Let's start with the word "flip". How do we use "flip"? Here are a few ways.

flip a coin
flip out
flip an egg
flip a burger
flip a house
be flip

Post questions about these expressions. When we finish with the word "flip", we can move on to another word. If you know of other ways to use the word "flip", add them to the list.

misiania · #2 22-Aug-2009, 17:38

I know 'flipping heck'

misiania · #3 22-Aug-2009, 17:38

Should it be straight word 'flip'?

PROESL · #4 22-Aug-2009, 17:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by misiania

Should it be straight word 'flip'?

By itself "flip" can be a verb or an adjecitve. As an adjective, it's more of a colliquial word, I think, and it's probably a derivative of the word "flippant".

I'm not completely sure, but I think "flipping heck" is more of a British expression.

There's also the expression "flip one's lid".

Don't flip your lid.

misiania · #5 22-Aug-2009, 17:53

I'll try not to flip my lid

PROESL · #6 22-Aug-2009, 18:02

Isn't the participle "flipping" commonly used in British English as an adjective? I, somehow, seem to recall that, though I can't be 100% sure.

BrE speakers? Are you here? Are you there? From my computer, you could be "here at the forum" or "there in a distant land". I suppose that's neither here nor there.