# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/81 "2010-09-23T21:15:58Z")
> [@capybara](#): > > This came up in passing in another thread, and I want to check a hypothesis, so > A) Do you know this word, as a verb and > B) where did you grow up/ where did you learn this word? > [@Ogre](#): > > No > Alabama > 38 > > I strongly suspect, however, that it is a variant of “kite” (as has been mentioned), in its criminal sense. 1. Yup. Never heard of “kife” before. 2. Oklahoma, been using it forever. 3. 45 ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/82 "2010-09-23T21:16:13Z")
a. no b. Arkansas c. 29 ---
**Author:** ![Trom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Trom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trom)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/83 "2010-09-23T21:57:15Z")
A. Yes, with qualification. I was vaguely aware of it meaning “to take.” However, I wasn’t sure where on the spectrum it fell - eg: borrow vs. steal. B. Minnesota C. 26 ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/84 "2010-09-23T22:21:04Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > > [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](#): > > > > a) Yes, meaning petty thief/unauthorized borrowing > > b) Growing up in Minnesota > > c) 38 > > All the above but add five years to the age. > [@MissTake](#): > > > [@Dangerosa](#): > > > > All the above but add five years to the age. > > Ditto, but only add three years to the age 😃 Since my original answer was from 2005, I get to add 5 years too!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/85 "2010-09-23T22:29:43Z")
a. Never heard it (either kipe or kife). b. Southern California c. 45 ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/86 "2010-09-24T05:55:56Z")
a) No. I’ve never heard this word before, and am surprised it is apparently an actual word, based on the responses here. What is its etymology? Never mind. I guess I can Google it. b) New Jersey c) 49 ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/87 "2010-09-24T11:55:39Z")
Know it, it’s gotta be at least twenty years old, central US. (As in, I heard & used it as a minor twenty years ago–and considering my friends & influences it could be from anywhere in N. America or the British Isles for all I know.) ---
**Author:** ![nikonikosuru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@nikonikosuru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nikonikosuru)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/88 "2010-09-24T13:20:31Z")
a. No b. Michigan c. 24 ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/89 "2010-09-24T14:05:22Z")
Never heard of it, or “kife” either. Mississippi 50 ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/90 "2010-09-24T14:47:55Z")
a. no b. New York City c. 35 d. We do say “kiting” (usually paired with check as in “Check kiting”) which refers to committing fraud with checks. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/91 "2010-09-24T15:32:54Z")
Yes Grew up Pennsylvania, have no idea where I learned the word. It wasn’t common, but I have encountered it. 48 ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/92 "2010-09-24T15:36:41Z")
Never heard this word. Grew up Mid Atlantic region, lived in mid west for a time. Last 20 years on West Coast 49 years old. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/93 "2010-09-24T16:39:57Z")
A: Kipe. (V. Uncommon). Can be used for non-stealing, eg, ‘kipe a nap’ ‘kipe some cookies out of the tin’. B: New York (but my vocabulary is enormous and contains much antiquated slang) C: 30s. ---
**Author:** ![Bloody\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bloody\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bloody_L)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/94 "2010-09-24T16:45:47Z")
a) No, I’ve never heard this word before. b) Memphis, Tennessee c) 21 ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/95 "2010-09-24T23:55:49Z")
Oh, how funny. Zombie from the days before the polling software. And I don’t even remember what hypothesis I was testing (I think I was positing a NW or W US usage-- seems to be a bit broader than that including some of the NE. Wonder why I never returned? Think I was trying to graduate. . .). ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/96 "2010-09-25T00:00:12Z")
1. No 2. State of Washington and California (LA, SF Bay Area, and Sacramento) 3. 45 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/97 "2010-09-25T00:30:25Z")
Heard it once, didn’t have an exact definition, but it was obviously taking something that didn’t belong to you. 54, grew up in Maryland, where the word ‘cop’ was used for stealing, not just for feels. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/98 "2010-09-25T00:32:03Z")
A) No. B) Upstate New York / Buffalo area. C) 44. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/99 "2010-09-25T01:44:29Z")
1. No. Never heard it before this thread. 2. Central Ohio. 3. 1. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2010, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658/100 "2010-09-25T02:01:00Z")
a) No. b) North Carolina c) 30 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-dialect-survey-kipe-or-kype/289658.md?page=6)