Drip vs. Trip: What's the Difference?
Edited by Harlon Moss || By Janet White || Updated on September 27, 2023
"Drip" refers to the act of liquid falling in drops; "Trip" refers to a journey or excursion, typically of short duration. They differ in meaning, usage, and context.
Key Differences
"Drip" and "Trip" are English words that serve different purposes and contexts. "Drip" primarily refers to the act or sound of liquid falling in drops, often slowly, and it's commonly used to describe leaks or the method by which certain medical treatments are administered. "Trip," conversely, is predominantly used to describe a journey or excursion, typically for pleasure and often of short duration. These terms possess distinct meanings and applications, highlighting the vast and versatile nature of the English language.
Further illustrating the difference between "Drip" and "Trip," it's noteworthy that "drip" can also be used as a slang term to describe a person's sense of style, especially when it is considered highly fashionable or exclusive. "Trip," in contrast, might be used to refer to the act of experiencing hallucinatory effects from a psychoactive substance, as well as the experience or phenomenon of causing someone to stumble or fall. This demonstrates the flexibility and the dynamic character of English words, as they can carry different meanings depending on context and usage.
In grammatical terms, "Drip" and "Trip" can both serve as nouns and verbs, allowing for varied utility in sentences. "Drip" as a verb can illustrate the action of falling in drops, while as a noun, it can represent the liquid that drips. "Trip" as a verb can mean to catch one's foot on something and stumble, and as a noun, it denotes a journey or excursion. The versatility of these words enriches expression and understanding in communication.
Despite their distinct meanings, "Drip" and "Trip" share similarities in grammatical structure. Both are single-syllable words, making them monosyllabic, and they rhyme, allowing them to be used in poetic and lyrical contexts. They both can be utilized in various situations and conversations, showcasing the adaptable nature of English words, which can convey different ideas and concepts efficiently and effectively.
Comparison Chart
Meaning
Falling of liquid in drops
A journey or excursion
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Part of Speech
Can be both a noun and a verb
Can be both a noun and a verb
Usage Context
Medical, Casual, Slang
Travel, Casual, Slang
Grammatical Form
Monosyllabic, rhymes with trip
Monosyllabic, rhymes with drip
Alternative Meanings
Style (slang)
Experiencing hallucinatory effects (slang)
Drip and Trip Definitions
Drip
To fall in drops
Water is dripping from that leaky faucet.
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Trip
A journey or excursion, usually for pleasure.
We planned a weekend trip to the mountains.
Drip
A device for administering a liquid slowly.
The nurse adjusted the drip to administer the medicine more slowly.
Trip
The act of stumbling or making someone stumble.
Be careful not to trip over the cords on the floor.
Drip
A small drop of liquid.
A drip of paint marred the otherwise perfect canvas.
Trip
Experiencing hallucinatory effects from a psychoactive substance.
He had a bad trip after consuming the substance.
Drip
Slang term for a person's fashionable or exclusive style.
His new shoes added extra drip to his outfit.
Trip
A device for activating or deactivating a mechanism.
He pulled the trip to start the machine.
Drip
To shed drops
An umbrella that is dripping all over the floor.
Trip
A going from one place to another; a journey.
Drip
To ooze or be saturated with or as if with liquid
A speech that dripped with sarcasm.
Trip
A stumble or fall.
Drip
To let fall in or as if in drops
A brush dripping paint.
A speech that dripped invective.
Trip
A maneuver causing someone to stumble or fall.
Drip
The process of forming and falling in drops.
Trip
A mistake.
Drip
Liquid or moisture that falls in drops.
Trip
A hallucinatory experience induced by a psychedelic drug
An acid trip.
Drip
A slight intermittent flow or leak
Fixed the drip in the faucet.
Trip
An intense, stimulating, or exciting experience
A power trip.
Drip
See drip feed.
Trip
A usually temporary but absorbing interest or preoccupation
He's on another health food trip.
Drip
The sound made by liquid falling in drops
Listened to the steady drip of the rain.
Trip
A certain way of life or situation
"deny that his reclusiveness is some sort of deliberate star trip" (Patricia Bosworth).
Drip
A projection on a cornice or sill from which rainwater can drip, protecting the wall below.
Trip
A light or nimble tread.
Drip
(Slang) A tiresome or annoying person.
Trip
A device, such as a pawl, for triggering a mechanism.
Drip
(intransitive) To fall one drop at a time.
Listening to the tap next door drip all night drove me mad!
Trip
The action of such a device.
Drip
(intransitive) To leak slowly.
Does the sink drip, or have I just spilt water over the floor?
Trip
To stumble.
Drip
(transitive) To let fall in drops.
After putting oil on the side of the salad, the chef should drip a little vinegar in the oil.
My broken pen dripped ink onto the table.
Trip
To move nimbly with light rapid steps; skip.
Drip
To have a superabundance of valuable things.
The Old Hall simply drips with masterpieces of the Flemish painters.
The duchess was dripping with jewels.
Trip
To be released, as a tooth on an escapement wheel in a watch.
Drip
To rain lightly.
The weather isn't so bad. I mean, it's dripping, but you're not going to get so wet.
Trip
To make a trip.
Drip
(intransitive) To be wet, to be soaked.
Trip
To make a mistake
Tripped up on the last question.
Drip
To whine or complain consistently; to grumble.
Trip
(Slang) To have a drug-induced hallucination.
Drip
A drop of a liquid.
I put a drip of vanilla extract in my hot cocoa.
Trip
To cause to stumble or fall.
Drip
A falling or letting fall in drops; act of dripping.
Trip
To trap or catch in an error or inconsistency.
Drip
(medicine) An apparatus that slowly releases a liquid, especially one that intravenously releases drugs into a patient's bloodstream.
He's not doing so well. The doctors have put him on a drip.
Trip
To release (a catch, trigger, or switch), thereby setting something in operation.
Drip
(colloquial) A limp, ineffectual, or uninteresting person.
He couldn't even summon up the courage to ask her name... what a drip!
Trip
To raise (an anchor) from the bottom.
Drip
(architecture) That part of a cornice, sill course, or other horizontal member, which projects beyond the rest, and has a section designed to throw off rainwater.
Trip
To tip or turn (a yardarm) into a position for lowering.
Drip
Style; swagger; fashionable and/or expensive clothing.
His drip is looking fine, especially the Supreme t-shirt.
Trip
To lift (an upper mast) in order to remove the fid before lowering.
Drip
(finance) A dividend reinvestment program; a type of financial investing.
Trip
A journey; an excursion or jaunt.
We made a trip to the beach.
Drip
To fall in drops; as, water drips from the eaves.
Trip
A stumble or misstep.
He was injured due to a trip down the stairs.
Drip
To let fall drops of moisture or liquid; as, a wet garment drips.
The dark round of the dripping wheel.
Trip
An error; a failure; a mistake.
Drip
To let fall in drops.
Which from the thatch drips fast a shower of rain.
Trip
(colloquial) A period of time in which one experiences drug-induced reverie or hallucinations.
He had a strange trip after taking LSD.
Drip
A falling or letting fall in drops; a dripping; that which drips, or falls in drops.
The light drip of the suspended oar.
Trip
(by extension) Intense involvement in or enjoyment of a condition.
Ego trip
Power trip
Nostalgia trip
Guilt trip
Drip
That part of a cornice, sill course, or other horizontal member, which projects beyond the rest, and is of such section as to throw off the rain water.
Trip
A faux pas, a social error.
Drip
Flowing in drops; the formation and falling of drops of liquid;
There's a drip through the roof
Trip
(engineering) A mechanical cutout device.
Drip
The sound of a liquid falling drop by drop;
The constant sound of dripping irritated him
Trip
(electricity) A trip-switch or cut-out.
It's dark because the trip operated.
Drip
(architecture) a projection from a cornice or sill designed to protect the area below from rainwater (as over a window or doorway)
Trip
A quick, light step; a lively movement of the feet; a skip.
Trip the light fantastic
Drip
Fall in drops;
Water is dripping from the faucet
Trip
(obsolete) A small piece; a morsel; a bit.
Drip
Let or cause to fall in drops;
Dribble oil into the mixture
Trip
The act of tripping someone, or causing them to lose their footing.
Drip
The act of liquid falling slowly in small drops.
The drip from the leaky faucet kept me awake all night.
Trip
(nautical) A single board, or tack, in plying, or beating, to windward.
Drip
The sound made by liquid dropping.
The constant drip of rain against the window was soothing.
Trip
A herd or flock of sheep, goats, etc.
Trip
(obsolete) A troop of men; a host.
Trip
A flock of wigeons.
Trip
(intransitive) To fall over or stumble over an object as a result of striking it with one's foot
Be careful not to trip on the tree roots.
Trip
To cause (a person or animal) to fall or stumble by knocking their feet from under them.
A pedestrian was able to trip the burglar as he was running away.
Trip
(intransitive) To be guilty of a misstep or mistake; to commit an offence against morality, propriety, etc
Trip
To detect in a misstep; to catch; to convict.
Trip
(transitive) To activate or set in motion, as in the activation of a trap, explosive, or switch.
When we get into the factory, trip the lights.
Trip
(intransitive) To be activated, as by a signal or an event
The alarm system tripped, throwing everyone into a panic.
Trip
(intransitive) To experience a state of reverie or to hallucinate, due to consuming psychoactive drugs.
After taking the LSD, I started tripping about fairies and colors.
Trip
(intransitive) To journey, to make a trip.
Last summer, we tripped to the coast.
Trip
To move with light, quick steps; to walk or move lightly; to skip.
Trip
(nautical) To raise (an anchor) from the bottom, by its cable or buoy rope, so that it hangs free.
Trip
(nautical) To pull (a yard) into a perpendicular position for lowering it.
Trip
To become unreasonably upset, especially over something unimportant; to cause a scene or a disruption.
Trip
(poker slang) Of or relating to trips three of a kind.
Trip
To move with light, quick steps; to walk or move lightly; to skip; to move the feet nimbly; - sometimes followed by it. See It, 5.
This horse anon began to trip and dance.
Come, and trip it, as you go,On the light fantastic toe.
She bounded by, and tripped so lightThey had not time to take a steady sight.
Trip
To make a brief journey or pleasure excursion; as, to trip to Europe.
Trip
To take a quick step, as when in danger of losing one's balance; hence, to make a false step; to catch the foot; to lose footing; to stumble.
Trip
Fig.: To be guilty of a misstep; to commit an offense against morality, propriety, or rule; to err; to mistake; to fail.
A blind will thereupon comes to be led by a blind understanding; there is no remedy, but it must trip and stumble.
Virgil is so exact in every word that none can be changed but for a worse; he pretends sometimes to trip, but it is to make you think him in danger when most secure.
What? dost thou verily trip upon a word?
Trip
To cause to stumble, or take a false step; to cause to lose the footing, by striking the feet from under; to cause to fall; to throw off the balance; to supplant; - often followed by up; as, to trip up a man in wrestling.
The words of Hobbes's defense trip up the heels of his cause.
Trip
To overthrow by depriving of support; to put an obstacle in the way of; to obstruct; to cause to fail.
To trip the course of law, and blunt the sword.
Trip
To detect in a misstep; to catch; to convict; also called trip up.
These her women can trip me if I err.
Trip
To raise (an anchor) from the bottom, by its cable or buoy rope, so that it hangs free.
Trip
To release, let fall, or set free, as a weight or compressed spring, as by removing a latch or detent; to activate by moving a release mechanism, often unintentionally; as, to trip an alarm.
Trip
A quick, light step; a lively movement of the feet; a skip.
His heart bounded as he sometimes could hear the trip of a light female step glide to or from the door.
Trip
A brief or rapid journey; an excursion or jaunt.
I took a trip to London on the death of the queen.
Trip
A false step; a stumble; a misstep; a loss of footing or balance. Fig.: An error; a failure; a mistake.
Imperfect words, with childish trips.
Each seeming trip, and each digressive start.
Trip
A small piece; a morsel; a bit.
Trip
A stroke, or catch, by which a wrestler causes his antagonist to lose footing.
And watches with a trip his foe to foil.
It is the sudden trip in wrestling that fetches a man to the ground.
Trip
A single board, or tack, in plying, or beating, to windward.
Trip
A herd or flock, as of sheep, goats, etc.
Trip
A troop of men; a host.
Trip
A flock of widgeons.
Trip
A journey for some purpose (usually including the return);
He took a trip to the shopping center
Trip
A hallucinatory experience induced by drugs;
An acid trip
Trip
An accidental misstep threatening (or causing) a fall;
He blamed his slip on the ice
The jolt caused many slips and a few spills
Trip
An exciting or stimulting experience
Trip
A catch mechanism that acts as a switch;
The pressure activates the tripper and releases the water
Trip
A light or nimble tread;
He heard the trip of women's feet overhead
Trip
An unintentional but embarrassing blunder;
He recited the whole poem without a single trip
He arranged his robes to avoid a trip-up later
Confusion caused his unfortunate misstep
Trip
Miss a step and fall or nearly fall;
She stumbled over the tree root
Trip
Cause to stumble;
The questions on the test tripped him up
Trip
Make a trip for pleasure
Trip
Put in motion or move to act;
Trigger a reaction
Actuate the circuits
Trip
Get high, stoned, or drugged;
He trips every weekend
Trip
A quick, light step or run.
She took a quick trip to the store for some milk.
FAQs
Do “Drip” and “Trip” rhyme?
Yes, “Drip” and “Trip” do rhyme.
Can “Drip” be used to describe style?
Yes, in slang, “Drip” can refer to a person's style.
Can “Drip” and “Trip” both be used as nouns and verbs?
Yes, both words can function as nouns and verbs.
Does “Drip” always represent something negative?
No, “Drip” can be neutral, positive, or negative depending on the context.
Can “Trip” be used to describe a short, quick step?
Yes, “Trip” can mean a quick, light step or run.
Can “Drip” refer to sound?
Yes, it can refer to the sound of liquid dropping.
Can “Drip” be a medical term?
Yes, “Drip” can refer to a method of administering liquid medicine.
Is a “Drip” only related to liquids?
Predominantly, but in slang, it can relate to style.
Is “Trip” only used in casual conversation?
No, “Trip” can be used in various contexts, both formal and informal.
Does “Trip” always refer to a journey?
No, “Trip” can also mean to stumble or refer to hallucinatory experiences.
Can “Trip” refer to the mechanism of a device?
Yes, “Trip” can refer to a device that activates or deactivates a mechanism.
Can “Drip” refer to a small drop of liquid?
Yes, “Drip” can mean a small drop of liquid.
Is “Trip” a monosyllabic word?
Yes, “Trip” is a monosyllabic word.
Can “Trip” be used poetically?
Yes, due to its rhyming nature, “Trip” can be used in poetry.
Is the primary use of “Drip” and “Trip” in casual, everyday language?
They are versatile words used in various contexts, including casual, formal, medical, and technical conversations.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Harlon MossHarlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.
