clip joint: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, Slang
Quick answer
What does “clip joint” mean?
An establishment, typically a nightclub, bar, or strip club, that charges customers excessively high prices, often through deceptive practices or pressure tactics.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An establishment, typically a nightclub, bar, or strip club, that charges customers excessively high prices, often through deceptive practices or pressure tactics.
Any business that systematically overcharges or cheats its clientele, often by exploiting a captive audience, tourists, or those seeking entertainment. The term implies a deliberate, organized scheme to extract money.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term originated in American English and remains more common there. In British English, it is understood but less frequently used; similar concepts might be called a 'rip-off joint' or simply a 'tourist trap'.
Connotations
In both varieties, it carries strong negative connotations of dishonesty and exploitation. In the US, it may have a slightly more specific historical link to organized crime.
Frequency
Rare in contemporary formal writing. Occurs in historical contexts, crime fiction, journalism exposing scams, and informal speech.
Grammar
How to Use “clip joint” in a Sentence
[Subject: person/group] runs a clip joint.[Subject: establishment] is a clip joint.We got [Object: money] clipped at that joint.They were [Complement: taken to/ lured into] a clip joint.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “clip joint” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The gang was known to clip unsuspecting tourists in their Soho clubs.
- We got properly clipped in that place near the docks.
American English
- They clip you on the drinks before you even realize it.
- I heard that new spot on the strip is clipping customers.
adjective
British English
- It had all the classic clip-joint tactics: hidden fees, aggressive waiters.
- He described a clip-joint operation running in the West End.
American English
- Stay away from the clip-joint bars on that avenue.
- They're running a clip-joint scheme targeting conventioneers.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used in standard business contexts. May appear in investigative journalism or reports on consumer protection regarding fraudulent hospitality businesses.
Academic
Rare. Might appear in historical, sociological, or criminological studies of urban vice, tourism, or organized crime.
Everyday
Used to warn others or complain about a blatantly overpriced and dishonest bar, club, or restaurant, often in a tourist area.
Technical
Not a technical term.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “clip joint”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “clip joint”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “clip joint”
- Using it for any expensive restaurant (it requires an element of deception/scam).
- Confusing with 'clip' as in video clip.
- Using in formal writing where 'fraudulent establishment' would be more appropriate.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily, yes, but it can be extended metaphorically to any business that systematically overcharges through trickery, such as a dishonest garage or a souvenir shop.
It comes from early 20th-century slang 'to clip', meaning to swindle or cheat someone, possibly from the idea of cutting (clipping) money from a person.
It is strongly pejorative and accusatory. Using it directly about a business could be considered defamatory if not proven true. It's a term of criticism, not a neutral description.
A 'tourist trap' is merely overpriced but may be openly so. A 'clip joint' actively employs deception, pressure, or fraud to extract money, often with an element of organized scamming or threat.
An establishment, typically a nightclub, bar, or strip club, that charges customers excessively high prices, often through deceptive practices or pressure tactics.
Clip joint is usually informal, slang in register.
Clip joint: in British English it is pronounced /ˈklɪp ˌdʒɔɪnt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈklɪp ˌdʒɔɪnt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Get clipped (to be overcharged or swindled)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a barber's CLIP-per taking too much hair (money) from you in a JOINT (place). A 'clip joint' clips your wallet.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMERCE IS WAR / EXPLOITATION IS SHEARING. The customer is a sheep to be sheared (clipped) of its wool (money).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary characteristic of a 'clip joint'?