What does kipped mean?
“Kipped” is the past tense and past participle of the informal verb “kip,” meaning to sleep for a short time. It often suggests sleeping somewhere temporary, uncomfortable, or not intended for sleeping, such as a train, waiting room, office chair, or sofa. The word is especially associated with British and Australian English and can sound casual, lightly humorous, or slightly dismissive, as when describing a brief sleep during an event or journey. “Kipped” is not a standard substitute for “slept” in formal writing, but it adds a sense of informality and often an image of makeshift rest. In everyday conversation, it can emphasize both the brevity of the sleep and the improvised nature of the sleeping place.
verbTo sleep for a short time, especially in an unusual or uncomfortable place. “Kipped” is the past tense and past participle of “kip.”
- To sleep briefly, especially in an unusual or uncomfortable place.
"After the long journey, we kipped for a few hours on the train."
"We kipped in the waiting room until the flight was called."
"The children kipped on the floor while their parents talked."
Say someone “kipped” and you can picture a short, unofficial sleep anywhere from a station bench to a borrowed sofa.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does kipped come from?
The form comes from the verb “kip,” an informal chiefly British word for sleep, with “-ed” added to form the past tense and past participle. “Kip” is historically associated with British and Scottish usage and ultimately has an uncertain origin. The expression became established in everyday speech as a deliberately informal way of referring to a short sleep.
Related word forms
How kipped is actually used
This is informal and somewhat humorous or dismissive when used about a short sleep in an inconvenient place. It is more common in British and Australian English than in American English.
Easily confused with kipped
“Kipped” means slept briefly, whereas “kept” means retained, held, or maintained something.