chip
1a small, slender piece, as of wood, separated by chopping, cutting, or breaking.
a very thin slice or small piece of food, candy, etc.: chocolate chips.
a mark or flaw made by the breaking off or gouging out of a small piece: This glass has a chip.
any of the small round disks, usually of plastic or ivory, used as tokens for money in certain gambling games, as roulette or poker; counter.
Also called microchip .Electronics. a tiny slice of semiconducting material, generally in the shape of a square a few millimeters long, cut from a larger wafer of the material, on which a transistor or an entire integrated circuit is formed.: Compare microprocessor.
a small cut or uncut piece of a diamond or crystal.
anything trivial or worthless.
something dried up or without flavor.
a piece of dried dung: buffalo chips.
wood, straw, etc., in thin strips for weaving into hats, baskets, etc.
Golf. chip shot.
Tennis. a softly sliced return shot with heavy backspin.
the strip of material removed by a recording stylus as it cuts the grooves in a record.
chips, Chiefly British. French fries.
to hew or cut with an ax, chisel, etc.
to cut, break off, or gouge out (bits or fragments): He chipped a few pieces of ice from the large cube.
to disfigure by breaking off a fragment: to chip the edge of a saucer.
to shape or produce by cutting or flaking away pieces: to chip a figure out of wood.
Games. to bet by means of chips, as in poker.
Tennis. to slice (a ball) on a return shot, causing it to have heavy backspin.
Slang. to take (a narcotic drug) occasionally, especially only in sufficient quantity to achieve a mild euphoria.
Chiefly British Sports. to hit or kick (a ball) a short distance forward.
Australian. to hoe; harrow.
to break off in small pieces.
Golf. to make a chip shot.
chip in,
to contribute money or assistance; participate.
Games. to bet a chip or chips, as in poker.
to interrupt a conversation to say something; butt in: We all chipped in with our suggestions for the reunion.
Idioms about chip
chip off the old block, a person who resembles one parent in appearance or behavior: His son is just a chip off the old block.
chip on one's shoulder, a disposition to quarrel: You will never make friends if you go around with a chip on your shoulder.
Origin of chip
1Other words from chip
- chip·pa·ble, adjective
- un·chip·pa·ble, adjective
Other definitions for chip (2 of 3)
a short chirping or squeaking cry.
Origin of chip
2Other definitions for chip (3 of 3)
a tricky or special method by which an opponent can be thrown.
Origin of chip
3Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use chip in a sentence
It invites dictatorial and rogue regimes to use Americans serving overseas as bargaining chips.
Aging Cuban Exiles And Their Lawmakers Bypassed by White House | Romina Ruiz-Goiriena | December 17, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAt under 200 pages, the book seems like chips and salsa on the table when you are expecting a four course meal.
By 6:15, the tented concession stands have run out of sandwiches and chips and are only selling granola bars and soda.
Beyonce, Jay Z & No Doubt Sing to End Global Poverty in Central Park | Caitlin Dickson | September 28, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAnd what that left was the jewelry and the stack of black chips and the girl who worked nights for a living.
The Stacks: Pete Dexter on What It’s Like to Lose the Knack of Having Fun | Pete Dexter | September 20, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIn 2012, the new chips were rolled out—first as Ruffles Ultimate in the U.S. in the spring.
A Laplander who cannot get Tobacco sucks chips of a barrel or pieces of anything else which has contained it.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce | E. R. Billings.Thereafter we were buffeted like chips in the swirling maw of a whirlpool; we fought our way rod by rod.
Raw Gold | Bertrand W. SinclairThis explanation seemed very likely, for here and there were stumps of trees and decaying chips.
The Box-Car Children | Gertrude Chandler WarnerTwo boys waded out into the sea, one with a stick, and the other with a quantity of burning chips.
A Woman's Journey Round the World | Ida PfeifferShe sat sewing daily by the swimming pool while Benny sailed wonderful boats of chips, and waded around to his heart's content.
The Box-Car Children | Gertrude Chandler Warner
British Dictionary definitions for chip
/ (tʃɪp) /
a small piece removed by chopping, cutting, or breaking
a mark left after a small piece has been chopped, cut, or broken off something
(in some games) a counter used to represent money
a thin strip of potato fried in deep fat
US and Canadian a very thin slice of potato fried and eaten cold as a snack: Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): crisp
a small piece or thin slice of food
sport a shot, kick, etc, lofted into the air, esp over an obstacle or an opposing player's head, and travelling only a short distance
electronics a tiny wafer of semiconductor material, such as silicon, processed to form a type of integrated circuit or component such as a transistor
a thin strip of wood or straw used for making woven hats, baskets, etc
NZ a container for soft fruit, made of thin sheets of wood; punnet
cheap as chips British informal inexpensive; good value
chip off the old block informal a person who resembles one of his or her parents in behaviour
have a chip on one's shoulder informal to be aggressively sensitive about a particular thing or bear a grudge
have had one's chips British informal to be defeated, condemned to die, killed, etc
when the chips are down informal at a time of crisis or testing
to break small pieces from or become broken off in small pieces: will the paint chip?
(tr) to break or cut into small pieces: to chip ice
(tr) to shape by chipping
sport to strike or kick (a ball) in a high arc
Origin of chip
1Derived forms of chip
- chipper, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for chip
[ chĭp ]
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with chip
In addition to the idioms beginning with chip
- chip and dip
- chip in
- chip off the old block
- chip on one's shoulder
also see:
- cash in (one's chips)
- in the money (chips)
- let the chips fall where they may
- when the chips are down
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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