noun
clip
klihp
noun
1
A device used to fasten or hold things together.
"She used a clip to keep the papers in order."
2
A short extract taken from a longer video, film, or broadcast.
"The funniest clip from the interview went viral overnight."
3
A fast pace or speed, especially informal.
"They were moving at quite a clip to make the deadline."
verb
1
To fasten something with a clip.
"He clipped the badge to his shirt pocket."
2
To cut something short, especially with scissors or shears.
"The groomer clipped the dog's fur for summer."
"She clipped a few words off the end of her sentence."
3
To hit or strike something briefly in passing.
"The car clipped the curb as it turned the corner."
How to Use Clip
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA fastener, a short cut piece of video, the act of cutting something short, or a fast pace.
Common pairings
video clip
paper clip
at a good clip
clip a hedge
Word Forms
clipped past tense, clipt past tense, clipped past tense, clips plural, clips plural, clips singular, clips singular
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She used a _____ to keep the papers in order.
Etymology
From Old English clyppan, "to embrace or clasp" — the "cut" sense developed later, from the idea of gripping something to trim it.