Verb (American).—To understand. For synonyms, see Twig.
18(?). Francis, Saddle and Moccasin. I knew at once that they had
got scared, and had trenched up like a bevy of quails; so I said to
Jim, ‘Now you let me do the talking, when they begin to sing
“Indians”—don’t you chip?’
To chip in, verb (common).—To contribute one’s share in money or kind;
to join in an undertaking; to interpose smartly.
1884. Bret Harte, In the Tunnel. When you’ll hear the next fool
Asking of Flynn—Just you chip in, Say you knew Flynn.
1869. S. L. Clemens (‘Mark Twain’), Innocents at Home, p. 22. Pard,
he was a great loss to this town. It would please the boys if you
could chip in something like that, and do him justice.
1888. American Magazine, Sept. A man who won’t chip in to charity
is always an object of suspicion.
1888. Star, 12 Dec., p. 3, col. 3. Justice Smith here chipped in
with the remark that counsel ... had not curtailed their
cross-examination.
Not to care a chip.—See Care and Fig.
Brother chip, subs. phr. (common).—‘Brother smut’; one of the same
trade or profession. Cf., Chip of the old block.
1862. Penny Newsman. ‘Mr. Bernal Osborne on Pigs and Politics.’ I
must say I never saw a set of gentlemen, who were in such excellent
condition without verging upon obesity (considerable laughter). I
could have wished, gentlemen, that there had been a larger show
to-day. At the same time as a brother chip (a laugh)—Oh, gentlemen,
I am a farmer (hear). I am one of those farmers that don’t
understand my business as well as I ought.
Chip of the same, or the same old, block, sometimes abbreviated to
chip, phr. (common). A person reproducing certain familiar or striking
characteristics. Chip = also a man or thing, and in this sense is
equivalent to Bloke, Cove, Cheat, etc., all of which see.
c. 1626. Dick of Devonshire, in Bullen’s Old Plays, ii., 60. Your
father used to come home to my mother, and why may not I be a chipp
of the same blocke, out of which you two were cutt?
1762. Colman, Musical Lady, II., iii. You’ll find him his father’s
own son, I believe; a chip of the old block, I promise you!
1843. Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit, ch. xviii., p. 189. ‘Yes, yes,
Chuffey, Jonas is a chip of the old block. It’s a very old block
now, Chuffey,’ said the old man.
1860. Funny Fellow, May 7, p. 1. Hollo, my kiddy, stir your stumps,
And chuck yourself about; Make haste, young chip, my boots to
shine, Or your shine I’ll quick take out.
1865. M. E. Braddon, Henry Dunbar, ch. xxxviii. I was in love
myself once, though I do seem such a dry old chip.
Chip in porridge, broth, etc., phr. (common).—An old phrase signifying
a thing of no moment; a nonentity.
1686. Goad, Celest. Bodies, I., xvii., 108. The Sextile is no chip
in broth ... but a very considerable Engine. [m.]
1688. Vox Cleri Pro Rege, 56. A sort of chip in pottage, which (he
hopes) will not do Popery much good, nor the Church of England much
harm. [m.]
1849. Sir Chas. Napier, as quoted in N. and Q., 1 S., i., p. 383.
‘The reviews which the Commander-in-Chief makes of the troops are
not to be taken as so many chips in porridge.’
1880. Church Times, 25 June. The Burials Bill ... is thought ... to
resemble the proverbial chip in porridge, which does neither good
nor harm. [m.]
Chipper, adj. (American).—‘Fit’; active; ready to ‘chip in.’
Chippy, adj. (common).—Unwell; seedy. Generally used to describe the
results of over-indulgence in eating, drinking, etc. Cf., Cheap.
1877. Belgravia, April, p. 235. After two copious libations of the
above [B. and S.], a man is apt to feel chippy next morning.
1884. Hawley Smart, From Post to Finish [Ry. ed.], p. 157. A dozen
cigars a day make one feel dreadfully chippy in the morning.
Chips, subs. (old).—1. A carpenter. Fourbesque equivalents are
gangherino and zangarino, whilst the Gaunersprache has Mepaie.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue. A nick-name for a carpenter.
1851. Chambers’ Paper, No. 52, p. 20. The carpenter, a rough hardy
Swede, rejoicing in the name of Burstrome, was not offended in the
slightest degree at being called chips even by the black cuddy
servant.
1883. Clark Russell, Sailors’ Language, pref., xii. The carpenter
is more politely termed chips.