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clip

/klɪp/

/klɪp/

IPA guide

Other forms: clipped; clips; clipping

Use the noun clip to talk about a fastener that holds things together, like a paper clip or a hair clip.

A clip keeps loose things attached to each other, but when you clip something, you cut small pieces off of it. Think of when you clip your dog's toenails or clip the dangling ends off the blanket you're knitting. You can also use the verb clip for a figurative kind of cutting, like when you clip two minutes off your marathon time or clip your words — say them quickly and tensely — when you're angry.

Definitions of clip
  1. noun
    any of various small fasteners used to hold loose articles together
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    types:
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    bicycle clip, trouser clip
    a clip worn around a cyclist's ankles that keeps trousers from becoming caught in the bicycle chain
    alligator clip, bulldog clip
    a clip with a spring that closes the metal jaws
    hair slide
    a decorative hinged clip that girls and women put in their hair to hold it in place
    gem clip, paper clip, paperclip
    a wire or plastic clip for holding sheets of paper together
    type of:
    fastener, fastening, fixing, holdfast
    restraint that attaches to something or holds something in place
  2. noun
    an article of jewelry that can be clipped onto a hat or dress
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    type of:
    jewellery, jewelry
    an adornment (as a bracelet or ring or necklace) made of precious metals and set with gems (or imitation gems)
  3. noun
    a metal frame or container holding cartridges; can be inserted into an automatic gun
    synonyms: cartridge clip, cartridge holder, magazine
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    types:
    pincurl clip
    a variety of clip for holding pin curls
    type of:
    supply chamber
    a mechanical device for holding something and supplying it as needed
  4. verb
    attach with a clip
    clip the papers together”
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    antonyms:
    unclip
    remove the clip from
    type of:
    attach
    cause to be attached
  5. verb
    sever or remove by pinching or snipping
    synonyms: nip, nip off, snip, snip off
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    type of:
    cut
    separate with or as if with an instrument
  6. verb
    cultivate, tend, and cut back the growth of
    synonyms: crop, cut back, dress, lop, prune, snip, trim
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    types:
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    shear
    cut with shears
    poll, pollard
    convert into a pollard
    pinch, top
    cut the top off
    disbud
    thin out buds to improve the quality of the remaining flowers
    tail
    remove the stalk of fruits or berries
    type of:
    thin out
    make sparse
  7. verb
    terminate or abbreviate before its intended or proper end or its full extent
    synonyms: curtail, cut short
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    type of:
    shorten
    make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration
  8. noun
    the act of clipping or snipping
    synonyms: clipping, snip
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    types:
    nip, pinch
    a small sharp bite or snip
    type of:
    cut, cutting, cutting off
    the act of shortening something by chopping off the ends
  9. noun
    an instance or single occasion for some event
    “he could do ten at a clip
    synonyms: time
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    type of:
    case, example, instance
    an occurrence of something
  10. noun
    the relative speed of progress or change
    synonyms: pace, rate
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    types:
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    fastness, speed, swiftness
    a rate (usually rapid) at which something happens
    beat
    a regular rate of repetition
    celerity, quickness, rapidity, rapidness, speediness
    a rate that is rapid
    deliberateness, deliberation, slowness, unhurriedness
    a rate demonstrating an absence of haste or hurry
    sluggishness
    the pace of things that move relatively slowly
    fleetness
    rapidity of movement
    immediacy, immediateness, instancy, instantaneousness
    the quickness of action or occurrence
    despatch, dispatch, expedition, expeditiousness
    the property of being prompt and efficient
    promptitude, promptness
    the characteristic of doing things without delay
    haste, hastiness, hurriedness, hurry, precipitation
    overly eager speed (and possible carelessness)
    execution speed
    (computer science) the speed with which a computational device can execute instructions; measured in MIPS
    graduality, gradualness
    the quality of being gradual or of coming about by gradual stages
    leisureliness
    slowness by virtue of being leisurely
    dilatoriness, procrastination
    slowness as a consequence of not getting around to it
    type of:
    temporal property
    a property relating to time
  11. verb
    run at a moderately swift pace
    synonyms: jog, trot
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    type of:
    run
    move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
  12. noun
    a sharp slanting blow
    “he gave me a clip on the ear”
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    type of:
    blow, buffet
    a powerful stroke with the fist or a weapon
Pronunciation
US

/klɪp/

UK

/klɪp/

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