flip off vs flip the bird

Both 'flip off' and 'flip the bird' are informal phrases used to describe the action of extending one's middle finger as an offensive gesture. They are interchangeable and convey the same meaning.

Last updated: March 22, 2024

flip off

This phrase is an informal way to describe the action of showing the middle finger as an offensive gesture.

It is commonly used in informal settings to express anger, frustration, or disrespect.

Examples:

He flipped off the driver who cut him off in traffic.
She flipped off her annoying coworker when he wasn't looking.

Show examples from the web [+]

Did you just flip off your mother-in-law?
Why did Franco flip off Danny?
15 10 ml Type I clear glass vial with a chlorobutyl or bromobutyl rubber stopper and an aluminum seal with a blue plastic flip off cap.
The powder is contained in a clear glass vial with a rubber stopper and an aluminum seal with a blue plastic flip off cap.
I flip off the wire harness, ignite my jet pack, and then toss balloons to the children of the world.
250 mg powder in a vial (Type 1 glass) with a stopper (halobutyl-rubber) and flip off seal (aluminium) with a silicone-free syringe (polyethylene).
50 or 100 ml of solution in a single vial (type I or II glass), with a stopper (elastomeric), a cap (aluminium crimp), a flip off disc (plastic), label with integrated hanger.
200 ml of solution in a single vial (type II glass), with a stopper (elastomeric), a cap (aluminium crimp), a flip off disc (plastic), label with integrated hanger.
Type I clear borosilicate glass vials, Teflon faced grey butyl plug stoppers, and aluminium crimp seals with a flip off plastic tab.
He just picked it up and used it to flip off every puerto rican in the place.
Keppra concentrate is packed in glass vials (type I) with Teflon faced stoppers and sealed with an aluminium/ polypropylene flip off cap.
In this case, if you watch, when this ball hits, two flip off.
If using a new vial, flip off the plastic protective cap, but do not remove the stopper.
If Kristy wasn't a sad single, I could flip off my guilt switch and finally -
Single use 10 ml type 1 clear glass vials with type 1 rubber stoppers and aluminium closures with yellow plastic flip off caps.
The other ingredients are: sodium acetate, glacial acetic acid, sodium chloride, water for injection Keppra concentrate is contained in a 5 ml glass vial, which is closed with a Teflon faced stopper and sealed with an aluminium/ polypropylene flip off seal.
Flip off the plastic coloured cap from the vial.
Flip off the plastic protective caps from the vials.
Flip off the plastic cover of the vial.
Colourless type I glass injection vial of 10 ml, closed with a grey EPDM rubber stopper and sealed with a flip off aluminium violet seal.

Alternatives:

give the finger
show the middle finger
make a rude gesture

flip the bird

This phrase is also an informal way to describe the action of showing the middle finger as an offensive gesture.

It is commonly used in informal settings to convey anger, frustration, or disrespect.