dipper

Everyday

1. A small bird that lives by fast streams and walks or dives under water to catch insects. tree →
2. A ladle or cup with a long handle for scooping water. tree →
3. (the Big Dipper, the Little Dipper) Groups of stars shaped like a ladle; in the UK the Big Dipper is called the Plough. tree →
4. (UK) A roller-coaster ride at a fair; a «big dipper». tree →

In the lessons

In science and nature, the dipper is a bird famous for walking underwater in rivers. In astronomy, the Big Dipper helps you find the North Star. At the seaside, a «big dipper» is a fairground ride. Phrases: «the Big Dipper», «a water dipper».

Examples

• A dipper bobbed on a rock in the stream. tree →
• We watched the dipper walk right under the water. tree →
• Use the dipper to scoop water from the barrel. tree →
• On a clear night we found the Big Dipper. tree →
• In the UK, the Big Dipper is called the Plough. tree →
• We rode the big dipper at the fair and screamed. tree →
• The pointer stars of the Big Dipper lead to the North Star. tree →

Note

Countable. From the verb «dip». The Big Dipper is part of the larger constellation Ursa Major (Great Bear), not a full constellation itself. Capital letters for the star group: the Big Dipper.