# U.S. Dialect survey: "kipe" or "kype" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 11, 2005, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658 "2005-02-11T22:03:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/21 "2005-02-12T01:35:32Z")
Hey, go easy on me, I’m an engineer. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/22 "2005-02-12T02:14:27Z")
A) Yes (assuming it means “to steal”) B) So Cal C) 46 ---
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/23 "2005-02-12T02:40:42Z")
1. Yes, meaning “steal” but also to grab anything quickly and stealthily, as in “I kiped my jacket off the hook and snuck out of the house.” Almost as often rendered as “kife.” 2. Maine 3. 41 ---
**Author:** ![Catfood\_Purrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Catfood\_Purrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catfood_Purrito)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/24 "2005-02-12T03:08:33Z")
A) Never heard “kipe,” but quite familiar with “kife.” B) Northeast Iowa, I believe I picked it up from friends. C) 27. ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/25 "2005-02-12T04:01:24Z")
1. Never heard it. 2. Grew up in Arkansas, moved to Atlanta 18 years ago. 3. 41 ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/26 "2005-02-12T06:57:29Z")
A. I have never heard this word before. B. I’m 33. I’ve lived most of my life in the Southeastern U.S., plus stints in Kansas, Colorado, Iowa, and Japan. ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/27 "2005-02-12T07:00:09Z")
1. Never heard it. 2. Western Kentucky 3. 27 ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/28 "2005-02-12T07:19:26Z")
Heard it, use it. No idea from where or how long. Never heard “kife”. 45 BC Canada ---
**Author:** ![stretch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@stretch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stretch)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/29 "2005-02-12T14:56:36Z")
A. Still use it to this day, and have been using since I was a kid to mean minor stealing: I kiped your pencil, man. I’ve heard other people use “kife” and they are just wrong! 😉 B. Washington State; learned it in Central WA when I was a kid, used it in Western WA as a teen, use it now in Central WA as an adult. C. 38 ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/30 "2005-02-12T15:22:44Z")
a) never heard of it. b) lived in Southern Ontario all my life. c) 41. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/31 "2005-02-12T16:48:42Z")
1. Yes. Never heard of kife before. 2. Tacoma, Washington. 3. 1. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/32 "2005-02-12T18:39:23Z")
1. No 2. Florida 3. 37 ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_in\_second\_hand\_clothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9d8465/32.png) [@wolf\_in\_second\_hand\_clothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_in_second_hand_clothing)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/33 "2005-02-12T18:49:05Z")
1. yes, usually meaning to go to a party and make off with some of the beer. 2. Iowa 3. 19 ---
**Author:** ![Pensandfeathers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Pensandfeathers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pensandfeathers)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/34 "2005-02-12T19:21:40Z")
1. Yes, when I was in 5th grade or so, living in Nevada. 2. Grew up in Utah, had a stint in Nevada, now live in western Washington. 3. 21 ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/35 "2005-02-12T20:51:31Z")
Yes; never heard “kife.” So. California 41 ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/36 "2005-02-12T20:59:08Z")
1. Yes, related to theft; never in print 2. (then) northern Indiana 3. 43 ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/37 "2005-02-12T21:33:16Z")
a) No b) Sacramento c) 20 ---
**Author:** ![CapnPitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/edb3f5/32.png) [@CapnPitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CapnPitt)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/38 "2005-02-12T21:34:18Z")
Never SW Pennsylvania 33 ---
**Author:** ![Nunavut\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e95f7d/32.png) [@Nunavut\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunavut_Boy)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/39 "2005-02-12T21:43:45Z")
never heard it Alberta 24 ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2005, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/40 "2005-02-13T01:19:26Z")
A. Never heard of it (neither kife) B. Washington, Western Washington, specifically Olympic Peninsula (seems like a lot of Washingtonians are responding) C. 26 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658.md?page=3)