noun
noun
- Also called: rip, tide-rip a stretch of turbulent water in the sea, caused by the meeting of currents or abrupt changes in depth
- Also called: rip current a strong current, esp one flowing outwards from the shore, causing disturbance on the surface
also riptide, 1862, from rip (n.1) + tide (n.). It is a current not a tide, and the attempt to correct it to rip current dates from 1936.