chip¹ (chĭp)
n.

1. A small broken or cut off piece, as of wood, stone, or glass.
2. A crack or flaw caused by the removal of a small piece.
3. 1. A small disk or counter used in poker and other games to represent money.
   2. chips Slang. Money.
4. 1. Electronics. A minute slice of a semiconducting material, such as silicon or germanium, doped and otherwise processed to have specified electrical characteristics, especially before it is developed into an electronic component or integrated circuit. Also called microchip.
   2. An integrated circuit.
5. 1. A thin, usually fried slice of food, especially a potato chip. Often used in the plural.
   2. A very small piece of food or candy. Often used in the plural: chocolate chips.
   3. chips Chiefly British. French fries.
6. Wood, palm leaves, straw, or similar material cut and dried for weaving.
7. A fragment of dried animal dung used as fuel.
8. Something worthless.
9. Sports. A chip shot.

v., chipped, chip·ping, chips.

v.tr.

1. To chop or cut with an ax or other implement.
2. 1. To break a small piece from: chip a tooth.
   2. To break or cut off (a small piece): chip ice from the window.
3. To shape or carve by cutting or chopping: chipped her name in the stone.

v.intr.

1. To become broken off into small pieces.
2. Sports. To make a chip shot in golf.

phrasal verbs:

chip away

1. To reduce or make progress on something incrementally: We chipped away until the problem was solved.

chip in

1. To contribute money or labor: We all chipped in for beer.
2. To interrupt with comments; interject.
3. To put up chips or money as one's bet in poker and other games.

idioms:

chip off the old block

1. A child whose appearance or character closely resembles that of one or the other parent.

chip on (one's) shoulder

1. A habitually hostile or combative attitude.

when the chips are down

1. At a critical or difficult time.

[Middle English, from Old English cyp, beam, from Latin cippus.]

chip² (chĭp)
intr.v., chipped, chip·ping, chips.
To cheep, as a bird.

[Imitative.]

chip chip n.

chip³ (chĭp)
n. Sports
A trick method of throwing one's opponent in wrestling.

[Origin unknown.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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