clips
clips — noun
- clipssingular
- clipsesplural
1. a small metal or plastic object used for holding pieces of paper together, keepi
a small metal or plastic object used for holding pieces of paper together, keeping hair in place, or fastening things to each other.
Salma handed Esteban a stack of papers secured with a metal clip.
collocation: secured with a metal clip
The hairdresser used a plastic clip to hold Gita's braid in place while she worked.
collocation: hair clip to hold ... in place
A binder clip on the desk kept all the receipts from the trip together.
Takeshi clipped the microphone to his collar with a small metal clip before starting his speech.
文法句型
clip + of + noun
paper clip / hair clip / tie clip
用法筆記
Commonly used in compound nouns like paper clip, hair clip, tie clip, and binder clip. The plural form clips is frequent when referring to the objects in general.
常見錯誤
2. a short piece of recorded video or audio taken from a longer film, television sh
a short piece of recorded video or audio taken from a longer film, television show, or broadcast.
Mira showed her classmates a video clip of a dolphin jumping through a hoop at the aquarium.
collocation: video clip of + noun phrase
The news report included a short clip from the press conference that the mayor gave this morning.
collocation: clip from + noun
Otis posted a funny clip of his cat chasing a laser pointer across the living room floor.
During the presentation, Renata played an audio clip of birds singing in the early morning forest.
文法句型
video clip
film clip
clip of + noun
clip from + noun
用法筆記
Video clip is the most common collocation, but audio clip is also widely used. In online contexts, clip often refers to short content shared on social media platforms.
常見錯誤
3. the speed at which something happens or moves.
the speed at which something happens or moves.
The construction crew was working at a surprisingly brisk clip to finish the building before winter.
collocation: at a brisk clip
Theo ran through the airport terminal at a fast clip to catch his connecting flight to Osaka.
Sales were rising at a steady clip, and the manager felt confident about reaching the yearly target.
The old pickup truck moved up the hill at a slow clip, its engine struggling against the steep grade.
At one clip, the restaurant was serving over two hundred customers every single evening.
The factory was producing fifty cars per clip during the busy production season last year.
At that clip, the team would finish the project well ahead of the original deadline.
文法句型
at a + adjective + clip
用法筆記
Nearly always appears in the phrase at a ... clip with an adjective (good, brisk, fast, steady, slow). The adjective is essential — a clip cannot stand alone to mean speed. A rarer variant uses at one clip or per clip to mean "in a single round or bout" (e.g. at one clip they served 300 dinners). This variant is best understood as a fixed phrase under this speed/rate sense rather than a separate meaning.
常見錯誤
4. a detachable container that holds bullets or cartridges and is inserted into a g
a detachable container that holds bullets or cartridges and is inserted into a gun so that they can be fired one after another.
The soldier quickly inserted a fresh clip into his rifle before moving to the next position.
collocation: insert a clip into + gun/rifle
Each clip held thirty rounds, enough for several minutes of sustained firing.
At the shooting range, Walid loaded a clip of ten bullets into the handgun and aimed at the target.
The soldier checked his ammunition pouch and found only one spare clip left for the mission ahead.
- magazine
the chamber inside the gun that holds the ammunition; often used interchangeably with clip in casual speech
文法句型
clip of + ammunition/bullets
用法筆記
Often confused with magazine. In technical firearm terminology, a clip loads ammunition into a magazine, but in everyday language clip is used for both. This is a specialised sense — most learners will encounter it in films or video games.
5. an act of cutting parts of something away to make it shorter, neater, or more ti
an act of cutting parts of something away to make it shorter, neater, or more tidy, especially hair or plants.
The gardener gave the overgrown hedge a quick clip with the shears on Saturday morning.
collocation: give + noun + a clip
Amelia decided her fringe needed a clip before the family photo session next weekend.
A regular clip keeps the rose bushes healthy and encourages more flowers to bloom during summer.
The dog's coat looked much better after a quick clip at the grooming salon on Elm Street.
文法句型
give + object + a clip
get a clip
need a clip
用法筆記
When used for hair, a clip often implies a small trimming rather than a full haircut. For plants, it can mean light trimming to maintain shape.
6. a quick sharp blow, typically aimed at a person's ear or the outer part of the h
a quick sharp blow, typically aimed at a person's ear or the outer part of the head as a mild punishment or startled reaction.
The old woman gave the naughty boy a clip around the ear for stealing apples from her garden.
collocation: a clip around the ear
Grandpa used to say that a quick clip on the head was how his teachers kept order in the classroom.
In the scuffle, someone landed a clip on the side of Caleb's jaw, and he stumbled backward.
The boxer dodged left, but his opponent still managed to land a sharp clip on his cheekbone.
文法句型
a clip + on/around/across + body part
give + someone + a clip
用法筆記
Now considered old-fashioned and potentially physical punishment. The phrase a clip around the ear is the most established idiom; modern usage is mainly humorous or historical.
7. a piece of jewellery, such as an earring or brooch, that attaches to the body or
a piece of jewellery, such as an earring or brooch, that attaches to the body or clothing by means of a spring-loaded clasp rather than a piercing.
Adina wore a pair of gold clip-on earrings to the wedding because she did not have pierced ears.
collocation: clip-on earrings
The antique brooch sold at the market was actually a decorative clip that fastened onto a coat lapel.
Nila found a beautiful silver clip in her grandmother's jewellery box that she could wear on her blouse.
The store on Market Street sells lovely pearl clips that attach to any dress collar without damaging the fabric.
文法句型
clip-on + noun
wear a clip
用法筆記
Most commonly used in the compound clip-on earrings. The singular clip by itself can refer to a brooch or decorative clasp worn on clothing.
clips — verb
- clipspresent simple I / you / we / they
- clipses3rd person singular
- clipsing-ing form
- clipsedpast simple
1. to remove small pieces from something using scissors, clippers, or shears, usual
to remove small pieces from something using scissors, clippers, or shears, usually to make it shorter or neater.
Hugo clipped the dead leaves from the rose bush to help the plant grow new flowers.
collocation: clip + object + from/off
Amelia clipped her son's fingernails while he sat watching his favourite cartoon programme.
collocation: clip fingernails / toenails
The hairdresser clipped a few centimetres off the ends of Yumi's hair to remove the split ends.
Jisoo clipped the coupon from the newspaper and put it in her purse for the grocery trip later.
- grow
let hair or plants increase in length
文法句型
clip + object
clip + object + off/from
clip + object + adjective
用法筆記
Often used with a particle (off, from, out of) to specify what is being removed. When used without a particle, the object is what gets cut (clip the hedge, clip the hair).
常見錯誤
2. to reduce, decrease, or shorten something by a specific amount, often applied to
to reduce, decrease, or shorten something by a specific amount, often applied to budgets, time, or prices.
The company clipped ten percent off its operating costs by switching to renewable energy sources.
collocation: clip + amount + off + noun
Renata clipped two minutes from her personal best time in the hundred-metre sprint at the championships.
The editor clipped the article down to eight hundred words to fit the space on the newspaper page.
City officials clipped the budget for road repairs by fifteen percent after the tax revenue fell short.
- increase
make larger in amount or degree
文法句型
clip + amount + off/from + noun
clip + noun + by + amount
用法筆記
Often used in financial or reporting contexts. The object is the thing being reduced, and the amount can be introduced with off, from, or by.
常見錯誤
3. to make brief sideways contact with a person or thing, often as a glancing blow
to make brief sideways contact with a person or thing, often as a glancing blow during fast movement.
The cyclist lost control and clipped a parked car's side mirror, sending pieces of plastic across the road.
collocation: clip + object + body part
During the basketball game, Leo accidentally clipped another player's elbow while reaching for the ball.
A falling branch from the old oak tree clipped Gabriel on the shoulder as he walked past the garden.
The baseball just clipped the edge of the bat and rolled weakly toward the pitcher for an easy out.
文法句型
clip + object
clip + object + on/in + body part
用法筆記
This sense implies a glancing blow — the object is hit in a sideways or off-centre manner rather than head-on. The contact is usually brief and not the main event.
4. to send a football or golf ball upward with a glancing strike, making it rise hi
to send a football or golf ball upward with a glancing strike, making it rise high without covering much ground.
The striker clipped the ball over the goalkeeper's head and into the far corner of the net for a goal.
collocation: clip the ball over + noun
Mateo carefully clipped his golf shot onto the green, landing the ball just two metres from the hole.
From the corner flag, Sari clipped a perfect cross to the centre of the penalty area for her teammate.
The midfielder clipped the ball past the defender and sprinted forward to collect it on the run.
- chip
in golf and football, a short high shot; clip is more specific to the technique
文法句型
clip the ball
clip the ball over/into/past
用法筆記
In football (soccer), clip describes a technique where the player strikes under the ball to lift it with backspin. In golf, it refers to a controlled short shot onto the green.
5. an illegal move in American football where a player blocks an opponent from behi
an illegal move in American football where a player blocks an opponent from behind, usually at waist level or below.
The referee threw a yellow flag when the defensive back was caught clipping the wide receiver from behind.
collocation: caught clipping
The referee ejected the player after he clipped an opponent near the line of scrimmage.
A penalty for clipping cost the team fifteen yards at a critical moment in the final minutes of the match.
- block illegally
general description of the action; clip is the specific term
文法句型
clip + object
用法筆記
A technical term in American football rules. The penalty for clipping is fifteen yards. This sense is rare outside of sports broadcasting and game contexts.
6. to attach, fasten, or secure something to something else using a clip, or to bec
to attach, fasten, or secure something to something else using a clip, or to become attached in this way.
The nurse clipped the patient's wristband onto his arm before the surgery on Thursday.
collocation: clip + object + onto + noun
Esteban clipped the microphone to his tie so the audience could hear his speech clearly.
collocation: clip + to + noun
The pages of the report were clipped together with a large metal fastener before being handed to the manager.
Xiu clipped the dog's leash onto its collar before heading out for the evening walk around the park.
- unclip
remove or detach something that was held by a clip
文法句型
clip + object + to/onto/on + noun
clip + object + together
clip + adverb
用法筆記
The intransitive use (This badge clips onto your shirt) describes how an item is designed to fasten. The transitive use (She clipped the badge onto her shirt) describes the action of fastening.
常見錯誤
7. to move or travel quickly, often with a smooth, steady rhythm.
to move or travel quickly, often with a smooth, steady rhythm.
The sports car was clipping along the coastal highway at well over one hundred kilometres per hour.
collocation: clip along + noun
Theo was clipping through his homework at an impressive pace and finished before dinner was ready.
The train clipped through the countryside, passing fields and small villages without slowing down.
Despite the heavy rain, the delivery van was clipping down the highway to make its scheduled drop-off times.
- crawl
move extremely slowly
文法句型
clip along + noun
clip through + noun
用法筆記
Often used with a direction particle (along, through, down, across) to show the path of movement. Common in informal narrative and sports commentary.