chip
HighAll registers (Informal, Semi-Formal, Technical)
Definition
Meaning
A small, thin, sharp-edged piece of a hard or brittle material broken or cut off; a very small piece of something.
An electronic microchip; a token used in gambling representing a specific value; a short, highly focused piece of content in marketing; a small flaw or damage; a shot in golf where the ball is lofted briefly onto the green; a piece of fried potato; a small, integrated circuit.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The primary meaning revolves around a 'small, broken piece.' Other meanings are metaphorical extensions of this core: a microchip is a 'small piece' of silicon; a potato chip is a 'small, thin slice'; a 'chip' in golf is a short, low-trajectory shot, akin to 'chipping' off a small piece of the distance.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Primary food term differs. In British English, 'chips' are thick-cut, fried potatoes (American 'fries'). In American English, 'chips' are thin, crispy potato slices (British 'crisps'). The verb 'chip in' (contribute) is more common in American usage.
Connotations
In British contexts, 'chip shop' has strong cultural connotations (fast food). In American contexts, 'chip on your shoulder' (holding a grudge) is a common idiom. 'Chip' as in microchip is neutral in both.
Frequency
The food-related term is extremely high-frequency in both, though referring to different products. 'Chip' as in damage (e.g., 'a chip in the paint') is equally common.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[N] chip (e.g., a chip of wood)[V] chip something (e.g., chip a tooth)[V] chip in [with/on] (e.g., chip in with an idea)[V] chip away [at] (e.g., chip away at a problem)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “chip on your shoulder”
- “chip off the old block”
- “when the chips are down”
- “let the chips fall where they may”
- “cash in your chips”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to 'blue chip' (stable, valuable stocks) or 'chip away at costs' (reduce gradually).
Academic
Used in computing/engineering (microchip, chip design) and materials science (chipping fracture).
Everyday
Overwhelmingly used for food (potato chips/crisps) and minor damage (chipping a plate).
Technical
A semiconductor integrated circuit; a small piece of archaeological material (e.g., flint chip).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Be careful not to chip the rim of the teacup.
- He chipped the ball neatly over the bunker.
- Shall we all chip in for a leaving present?
American English
- I chipped a tooth eating popcorn.
- She chipped away at the old paint.
- Everyone chipped in ten dollars for pizza.
adjective
British English
- We need some chip paper for the fish.
- The chip shop is just around the corner.
- It's a classic chip butty.
American English
- She bought a bag of chip clips.
- He works for a major chip manufacturer.
- It was a chip-shot touchdown.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I ate some crisps. (UK) / I ate some chips. (US)
- There is a chip in my glass.
- He has a chip on his shoulder.
- Would you like fries with that? In the UK, they're called chips.
- We all chipped in to buy her a birthday gift.
- Be careful not to chip the paint on the door.
- The golfer executed a perfect chip shot onto the green.
- The company is a blue-chip investment, known for its stability.
- Archaeologists found flint chips at the ancient site.
- Advances in chip technology are driving the AI revolution.
- He spent years chipping away at the bureaucracy to get the policy changed.
- The sculptor chipped delicately at the marble block.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a CHOcolate CHIP cookie. You break off a small, hard CHIP of chocolate. This links the core meaning of a 'small piece' to a common object.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROBLEMS ARE SOLID OBJECTS TO BE BROKEN DOWN ('chip away at a problem').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводите 'potato chips' как 'чипсы' в британском контексте — там это 'crisps'. Британские 'chips' — это картофель фри.
- 'Chip in' означает 'скинуться', а не 'вмешаться' или 'чипировать'.
- 'Chip on his shoulder' — это 'обида/комплекс', а не 'чип на плече'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'chips' for thin potato slices in the UK (correct: 'crisps').
- Saying 'I chipped my nail' instead of the more common 'I broke my nail' or 'I chipped my nail polish.'
- Confusing 'chip in' (contribute money/ideas) with 'chime in' (interrupt to add a remark).
Practice
Quiz
What does the idiom 'when the chips are down' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In the UK, 'chips' are thick-cut, fried potatoes (similar to American 'fries'). In the US, 'chips' are thin, crispy slices of potato (UK 'crisps').
Yes. It means to break a small piece off something hard ('chip a tooth'), to contribute money ('chip in'), or to play a short, lofted shot in golf ('chip onto the green').
It's a metaphor from poker (blue chips have the highest value). It refers to a large, well-established, and financially sound company considered a safe investment.
It's an idiom meaning a habitually hostile or defensive attitude because of a perceived grievance or sense of inferiority.