chip

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 the place from which a small piece of wood, glass, etc. has broken from an object: This mug has a chip in it. 2 a small piece of wood, glass, etc. that has broken off an object: chips of wood * chocolate chip cookies (= biscuits containing small pieces of chocolate) 3 (BrE) (also French fry, fry AmE, BrE) [usuallypl.] a long thin piece of potato fried in oil or fat: All main courses are served with chips or baked potato. seealsoFISHANDCHIPS 4 (AmE) = CRISP: potato chips 5 = MICROCHIP: chip technology seealsoV-CHIP 6 a small flat piece of plastic used to represent a particular amount of money in some types of gambling: (figurative) The release of prisoners was used as a bargaining chip. 7 (also chip shot) (in golf, football, etc.) an act of hitting or kicking a ball high in the air so that it lands within a short distance: She left herself with a short chip to the green. seealsoBLUE-CHIP IDIOMS a chip off the old block (informal) a person who is very similar to their mother or father in the way that they look or behave have a chip on your shoulder (about sth) (informal) to be sensitive about sth that happened in the past and become easily offended if it is mentioned because you think that you were treated unfairly: He has a real chip on his shoulder about being adopted. have had your chips (BrE, informal) to be in a situation in which you are certain to be defeated or killed when the chips are down (informal) used to refer to a difficult situation in which you are forced to decide what is important to you: I'm not sure what I'll do when the chips are down. * When the chips are down he always finds the courage to carry on. verb (-pp-) 1 to damage sth by breaking a small piece off it; to become damaged in this way: [VN] a badly chipped saucer * She chipped one of her front teeth. * [V] These plates chip easily. 2 [VN+adv./prep.] to cut or break small pieces off sth with a tool: Chip away the damaged area. * The fossils had been chipped out of the rock. * It took a long time to chip a hole in the wall. * It needs skill to chip a block of stone into a recognizable shape. 3 [VN, V] (especially in golf and football) to hit or kick the ball so that it goes high in the air and then lands within a short distance 4 [VN] ~ potatoes (BrE) to cut potatoes into long thin pieces and fry them in deep oil PHRASALVERBS chip away at sth to keep breaking small pieces off sth: He was chipping away at the stone. * (figurative) They chipped away at the power of the government (= gradually made it weaker). chip in (with sth) (informal) 1 to join in or interrupt a conversation; to add sth to a conversation or discussion: Pete and Anne chipped in with suggestions. * [+speech] 'That's different,' she chipped in. 2 (also chip in sth) to give some money so that a group of people can buy sth together: If everyone chips in we'll be able to buy her a really nice present. * We each chipped in (with) ｣5. chip off