Tip into recession

This phrace “tip into recession” is popular and it’s usually used for a country. When something causes recession we say that it tips the country into recession. Or when an economy is in danger of slumbering it is highly likely that the country might tip into recession.

What exactly is the meaning here of the verb tip? Force? Push? End up? Derail/Overturn?

And can we use “tip into”, with the same meaning, for something other than the economy? (examples)

tip = overbalance.

We could use the expression literally:

Tip it into the bowl.
Be careful that the canoe doesn’t tip into the water.