4 N‑COUNT A chip is a small piece of something or a small piece which has been broken off something. □ It contains real chocolate chips. □ [+ of ] Teichler's eyes gleamed like chips of blue glass.
5 N‑COUNT A chip in something such as a piece of china or furniture is where a small piece has been broken off it. □ The washbasin had a small chip.
6 VERB If you chip something or if it chips , a small piece is broken off it. □ [V n] The blow chipped the woman's tooth. □ [V ] Steel baths are lighter but chip easily. ● chipped ADJ □ They drank out of chipped mugs.
7 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Chips are plastic counters used in gambling to represent money. □ He put the pile of chips in the centre of the table and drew a card.
8 N‑COUNT In discussions between people or governments, a chip or a bargaining chip is something of value which one side holds, which can be exchanged for something they want from the other side. □ The information could be used as a bargaining chip to extract some parallel information from Britain.
9 → see also blue chip
10 PHRASE If you describe someone as a chip off the old block , you mean that they are just like one of their parents in character or behaviour. □ My father was a comedian and I am a chip off the old block.
11 PHRASE If you say that something happens when the chips are down , you mean it happens when a situation gets very difficult. [INFORMAL ] □ When the chips are down, she's very tough.
12 PHRASE If you say that someone has a chip on their shoulder , you think that they feel inferior or that they believe they have been treated unfairly. [INFORMAL ] □ He had this chip on his shoulder about my mum and dad thinking that they're better than him.
▸ chip away at
1 PHRASAL VERB If you chip away at something such as an idea, a feeling, or a system, you gradually make it weaker or less likely to succeed by repeated efforts. □ [V P P n] Instead of an outright coup attempt, the rebels want to chip away at her authority.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you chip away at a debt or an amount of money, you gradually reduce it. □ [V P P n] The group had hoped to chip away at its debts by selling assets.
▸ chip in
1 PHRASAL VERB When a number of people chip in , each person gives some money so that they can pay for something together. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P ] They chip in for the petrol and food. □ [V P n] The brothers chip in a certain amount of money each month to hire a home health aide. [Also V P + with ]
2 PHRASAL VERB If someone chips in during a conversation, they interrupt it in order to say something. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P with quote] 'That's true,' chipped in Quaver. □ [V P ] He chipped in before Clements could answer.
chi p and PI N N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Chip and PIN is a method of paying for goods you have bought by using both a bank card and a PIN number. □ IT engineers traced the problem to a chip and pin system that was not properly connected.
chip|board /tʃ I pbɔː r d/ N‑UNCOUNT Chipboard is a hard material made out of very small pieces of wood which have been pressed together. It is often used for making doors and furniture.
chip|munk /tʃ I pmʌŋk/ (chipmunks ) N‑COUNT A chipmunk is a small animal with a large furry tail and a striped back.
Chippendale /tʃ I pənde I l/ ADJ [ADJ n] Chippendale is a style of furniture from the eighteenth century. □ …a pair of Chippendale chairs.
chip|per /tʃ I pə r / ADJ Chipper means cheerful and lively. [OLD-FASHIONED ]
chip|pings /tʃ I p I ŋz/ N‑PLURAL [usu n N ] Wood chippings or stone chippings are small pieces of wood or stone which are used, for example, to cover surfaces such as paths or roads.
chip|py /tʃ I pi/ (chippies ) also chippie N‑COUNT A chippy is the same as a chip shop . [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ I go to the chippy at least once a week.
chi p shop (chip shops ) N‑COUNT A chip shop is a shop which sells hot food such as fish and chips, fried chicken, sausages, and meat pies. The food is cooked in the shop and people take it away to eat at home or in the street. [BRIT ]
chi|ropo|dist /k I rɒ pəd I st/ (chiropodists ) N‑COUNT A chiropodist is a person whose job is to treat and care for people's feet.
chi|ropo|dy /k I rɒ pədi/ N‑UNCOUNT Chiropody is the professional treatment and care of people's feet.
chi|ro|prac|tic /ka I ə rəprækt I k/ N‑UNCOUNT Chiropractic is the treatment of injuries by pressing and moving people's joints, especially the spine.
chi|ro|prac|tor /ka I ə rəpræktə r / (chiropractors ) N‑COUNT A chiropractor is a person who treats injuries by chiropractic.
chirp /tʃɜː r p/ (chirps , chirping , chirped ) VERB When a bird or an insect such as a cricket or grasshopper chirps , it makes short high-pitched sounds. □ [V ] The crickets chirped faster and louder. ● N‑COUNT Chirp is also a noun. □ [+ of ] The chirps of the small garden birds sounded distant. ● chirp|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the chirping of birds.
chirpy /tʃɜː r pi/ (chirpier , chirpiest ) ADJ If you describe a person or their behaviour as chirpy , you mean they are very cheerful and lively. [INFORMAL ] □ Hutson is a small, chirpy bloke. □ She sounded quite chirpy; all she needs is rest.