chips - Master This Word
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chips Word Meanings
- a small piece detached from a larger object
- a thin slice of food
- to cut or break off a small piece
chips Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
chips Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/tʃɪp/
US
/tʃɪp/
chips Word Etymology
From Old English 'cippian' (to chip) + root 'chipp' (to break off). Historical origin: Old English → Middle English → Modern English. Memory image: Imagine a carpenter chiseling wood, creating small chips that scatter as he works.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
Hands hover over the potato as I push the knife and turn it a bit, and a small chip loosens. It slips, I shift my stance, and I keep control as the edge bites off a thin piece. I adjust my grip and set another slice free. When I place the piece on the board, the rough texture and the move itself make what a chip is feel real in my hands.
Real Context
Chip is a small piece detached from a larger object, a thin slice of food, or the verb to cut or break off a small piece. In everyday use you can describe a dent as a chip, or say you ate a bag of potato chips. The sense of to chip away at means to remove small fragments over time, while computer chip refers to a microchip and is in a different field, so context matters. Memory image: a carpenter chiseling wood, wood shavings scattering as the blade bites into the surface. Learners often confuse chip with flake or shard, or with chips meaning different snacks in various dialects. With practice, identify sense from surrounding words and collocations.
Usage Reminders
- - Use 'chip' as a noun for a small piece detached from a larger object.
- - For the snack, say 'potato chip' (US) or 'crisps' (UK).
- - 'to chip away at' means to remove small pieces or to make slow progress.
- - 'chip' in tech means a microchip; check the context.
- - Distinguish from 'sliver', 'flake', or 'fragment' depending on size and material.
Common Misconceptions
- Chip always means a computer chip; it does not, it also means a small fragment.
- Chip refers only to food in the form of chips; it also means the thin fragment from an object.
- To chip away at is only about cutting; it can also describe gradual progress or saving effort over time.
- Confusing 'chip' with 'sliver' or 'fragment' for large pieces leads to errors in context.
- Assuming 'chips' always imply potatoes; 'potato chips' vs 'chips' in other dialects can cause mix-ups.
Thinking Differences
Explain to an English speaker: Chip covers multiple senses—small fragment, edible slice, and a verb for breaking off. Learners often misread a context about technology as the only meaning.
Learning Tips
- Identify the noun senses first: small piece vs. food item.
- Link chip with phrases: chip away at, chip off.
- Remember computer chip is a technical term; context matters.
- Compare with synonyms: sliver, shard, fragment.
- Practice with visuals: picture a woodworker or a microchip diagram.
- Listen for collocations to determine sense.
Related Listening
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