SIPS

Sips are small mouthfuls of liquid taken for drinking, tasting, or savoring. The term functions as both a noun (a sip) and a verb (to sip). A sip is typically a brief, controlled intake, chosen to regulate temperature, flavor, or hydration rather than to empty the glass quickly.

Volume varies by person and beverage, but a single sip usually amounts to a few milliliters. In wine, tea, and coffee culture, sipping is used to assess aroma, body, acidity, and aftertaste; careful sipping can reveal subtle flavors that may not be evident when a drink is swallowed rapidly. Sipping is also common in casual drinking, serving to prolong enjoyment and accommodate warmth or strength of a beverage.

Sips differ from other drinking actions: a gulp is a quick, larger intake, while a swallow refers to the act of moving liquid from mouth to throat, sometimes in a single motion. In social settings, sipping can reflect etiquette—moderating the pace of drinking, especially with hot beverages or during conversation.

In everyday language, sips describe both the act of sampling beverages and the amount left after a series of small tastes. The concept underpins many practices in food and beverage culture, from tasting menus to beverage pairing and hospitality, where the goal is to savor flavor and maintain comfort.