dipper
/ˈdɪpə
/noun
1A short-tailed songbird related to the wrens, frequenting fast-flowing streams and able to swim, dive, and walk under water to feed.
- Family Cinclidae and genus Cinclus: five species, in particular the white-throated Eurasian C. cinclus.
- In fall and winter, look for bald eagles, American dippers, mergansers, red-shafted Northern flickers, red-tailed hawks, and Townsend's solitaires.
- The dipper takes prey from the water's surface while swimming, and will even use its wings to ‘fly’ under water.
2A ladle or scoop.She plunged a dipper into it and began to ladle creamy milk into the pail....
- Then, skipping the pot all together, he just put the hot water into the dipper.
- Without a word, the man reached into a bucket and pulled out a dipper full of water.
3A person who dips something in liquid.No farmer should employ dippers unless they hold an appropriate licence.
4 informal A pickpocket.Isn't it time some of the big-time dippers spent some time in the slammer as well?
5 archaic, informal A Baptist or Anabaptist.
