To flip means to turn something over quickly, usually with a spinning motion. When you flip a pancake, you toss it in the air so it rotates and lands with the other side facing up. When you flip a coin to make a decision, you send it spinning through the air to see whether it lands on heads or tails.

You can flip through the pages of a book, moving rapidly from one to the next. Gymnasts and divers flip their bodies through the air, rotating head over heels. Someone might flip a light switch to turn it on or off.

The word also describes a sudden change in attitude or decision. If your friend says they'll come to your party but then flips and decides not to, they've changed their mind completely. A politician who flip-flops keeps changing positions on important issues.

When someone flips out, they lose their temper suddenly and dramatically. If your older brother flips out about a lost video game, he's having an intense, maybe exaggerated reaction.

Finally, flip can mean disrespectfully casual. A flip remark is a careless or cheeky comment that doesn't take something seriously. A flip answer to a teacher's genuine question is dismissive and not very respectful.