Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to sing; thus lip us a chant, sing us a song.

1789		G. Parker Life’s Painter 132: I’ll lip ye a chaunt — as rum a one as you ever heard.
1800		Sporting Mag. Apr. XVI 26/2: Sir John lipt us the favourite chaunt of poor Jerry Abershaw’s.
1845		J. Lindridge Sixteen-String Jack 126: So thus I’ll trip it, lip it.
1845		G.W.M. Reynolds Mysteries of London vol. 2 142: Lip us a chant. Sing us a song.
1850		Manchester Spy (NH) 21 Sept. n.p.: The way he begun to lip was some to uncle Eph’s nigger.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict. 172: LIP, to sing; thus ‘lip us a chant,’ sing a song.

2. to speak.

a.1789		G. Parker (attrib.) ‘The Sandman’s Wedding’ in Farmer Musa Pedestris (1896) 65: ‘Well lipp’d,’ quoth Joe, ‘no more you need to say.’.
1885		Punch 10 Jan. 21: I had great power, millions lipped my name [F&H].
1947		M.H. Boulware Jive and Sl. n.p.: Let’s lip a while ... Let’s talk.
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).

3. to insult, to abuse, to be impudent; thus lipping, a telling-off.

1859		Adelaide Obs. (SA) 24 Sept. 2/6: For a scolding he always comes in far a wigging, / A rowing, a jawing, a lipping, or rigging.
1898		B. Kirkby Lakeland Words 93: He lipt mi rarely .
1905		Salt Lake Herald (UT) 26 Mar. 5/1: [from Kalgoorlie Sunday Sun] He can lip us when it suits him / He can wheedle in a way / That would soften down the devil.
1965		S. Yurick Warriors (1966) 99: The bitch kept lipping them.
1993		J. Mowry Six Out Seven (1994) 206: Here’s one standing right on my own front porch [...] lippin me just like I strayed into Jackson darktown.
2001		N. Barlay Hooky Gear 34: Libby outlip most people most of the time.

4. (Ulster) to eat or drink.

1908		L. Doyle Ballygullion 145: ‘Have ye any cheese in the house,’ sez he, ‘Pat?’ ‘Divil a crumb,’ sez I; ‘it’s a thing I niver lip.’.
1979		J. Morrow Confessions of Proinsias O’Toole 55: Unadulterated Irish whisky, washed down with innumerable bottles of the most fart-making stout I’d ever lipped.

5. to suck on.

1944		D. Burley Orig. Hbk of Harlem Jive 122: We crumb-crushed your spiel about the ‘Seven Skulls’ just killing themselves on the gauge tip, lippin’ a lone giggle stick.
2000		P. Beatty Tuff 18: Lipping that [crack] pipe like falling in love every day — maybe a little better.

6. (US campus) to kiss [note 17C–19C poetic SE lip, to kiss].

1947		M.H. Boulware Jive and Sl. n.p.: Let’s lip a while ... Let’s talk, or kiss.
1967–8		Baker et al. CUSS 151: Lip it To neck.
1985		Eble Campus Sl. Apr. 5: lip – to kiss.