clip

1 of 4

verb (1)

clipped; clipping

transitive verb

1
2
a
: to hold in a tight grip : clutch
b
: to clasp, fasten, or secure with a clip

clip

2 of 4

noun (1)

1
: any of various devices that grip, clasp, or hook
2
: a device to hold cartridges for charging the magazines of some rifles
also : a magazine from which ammunition is fed into the chamber of a firearm
3
: something (such as a piece of jewelry) that is worn as an ornament or fastener and that is held in position by a clip

clip

3 of 4

verb (2)

clipped; clipping

transitive verb

1
a
: to cut or cut off with or as if with shears
clip a dog's hair
clip an hour off traveling time
b
: to cut off the distal or outer part of
(2)
: to cut items out of (a publication, such as a newspaper)
2
b
: to abbreviate in speech or writing
3
: hit, punch
especially : to strike in passing
the car skidded off the road and clipped a lamppost
4
: to illegally block (an opposing player) in football
5
: to take money from unfairly or dishonestly especially by overcharging
the nightclub clipped the tourist for $200

intransitive verb

1
: to clip something
2
: to travel or pass rapidly
3
: to clip an opposing player in football

clip

4 of 4

noun (2)

1
a
clips plural, Scotland : shears
b
: a 2-bladed instrument for cutting especially the nails
2
: something that is clipped: such as
a
: the product of a single shearing (as of sheep)
b
: a crop of wool of a sheep, a flock, or a region
c
: a section of filmed, videotaped, or recorded material
d
: a clipping especially from a newspaper
3
: an act of clipping
4
: a sharp blow
5
: rate sense 1a
continues at a brisk clip
6
: a single instance or occasion : time
he charged $10 a clip
often used in the phrase at a clip
trained 1000 workers at a clip

Examples of clip in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Earlier this week, it was revealed that a Catholic priest who allowed a scene from the clip to be filmed inside Our Lady of Mount Carmel-Annunciation Parish in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, had been relieved of his administrative duties, according to the New York Times. Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 29 Nov. 2023 The humorous clip finds Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser hanging by a fake fire, donning cowboy hats, performing in an MTV Unplugged setting, and using soul patches, among other cheeky homages. Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 29 Nov. 2023 As of Tuesday, the sweet rescue clip has been viewed 42,000 times. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 29 Nov. 2023 Its performance is reliable, with swift alerts and notifications, and there's HDR support so that your clips aren't blown out by bright lights. Matt Jancer, WIRED, 27 Nov. 2023 Features like a wrist leash and clip that ensures they don't get separated in boot bags add convenience to the perfectly waterproof build. Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023 The clips exhibit the life of a first generation Latino skateboarder in Los Angeles and Southern California. Roberto Reyes, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2023 The clip was almost certainly a deepfake, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Justice and the A.I.-detection company Reality Defender. Steven Lee Myers, New York Times, 26 Nov. 2023 At times, mostly near the end, the performance clips can drag out, even when the artistry is at the highest level. Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 26 Nov. 2023
Verb
Simply clip your nails once a week until the gel is completely off. Audrey Noble, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2023 The Reel clipped together some especially precious moments of 2022 PEOPLE'S Sexiest Man Alive hanging out with furry friends on the shelter’s floor. Zoey Lyttle, Peoplemag, 23 Nov. 2023 By Saturday, the storm system will clip coastal New England, bringing the potential for heavy rain from eastern Long Island to Downeast Maine. Kathryn Prociv, NBC News, 15 Nov. 2023 The Rivian, meanwhile, has continued in a southwest direction, clipping a separate car before slamming into the side of Raffallo’s Pizza. Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2023 Tragically, McDonald died in 1966 when the helicopter clipped a power line. John Kelly, Washington Post, 1 Nov. 2023 She’s repeatedly made the case that technological innovation will lead to an era of rising productivity and falling prices while criticizing Fed officials for unnecessarily crippling the economy (and clipping her fund’s wings) with rate hikes. Will Daniel, Fortune, 16 Nov. 2023 The songs were first sketched out on entry-level open-source audio software, Audacity, and then finalized on Ableton, with occasional distortion and clipping deliberately left in the tracks to preserve the album’s raw homemade origins. Al Shipley, SPIN, 15 Nov. 2023 It can be hung around the neck or clipped onto waistbands to blow cool air up the shirt. Hannah Rice, Rolling Stone, 14 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clip.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English clippen, from Old English clyppan; akin to Old High German klāftra fathom, Lithuanian globti to embrace

Verb (2)

Middle English clippen, from Old Norse klippa

First Known Use

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of clip was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near clip

Cite this Entry

“Clip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clip. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

clip

1 of 4 verb
clipped; clipping
: to fasten with a clip
clip the papers together

clip

2 of 4 noun
1
: a device that grips, clasps, or hooks
2
: a device for loading cartridges into a firearm
3
: a piece of jewelry held by a clip

clip

3 of 4 verb
clipped; clipping
1
: to cut or cut off with or as if with shears
clip a hedge
clip out a news item
2
: to cut off or trim the hair or wool of
have the dog clipped

clip

4 of 4 noun
1
: a two-bladed instrument for cutting especially the nails
2
: a section of filmed, videotaped, or recorded material
3
: an act of clipping
4
: a sharp blow
5
: a rapid pace
move along at a good clip
Etymology

Verb

Old English clyppan "to clasp"

Verb

Middle English clippen "to cut," of Norse origin

Medical Definition

clip

noun
: a device used to arrest bleeding from vessels or tissues during operations

More from Merriam-Webster on clip

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