chinstrap 234
**chin-strap** /'tSInstræp/ n the band round the chin, which
helps to keep a HELMET in place
**chintz** /tSInts/ n [U] cotton cloth printed with usually
flowery patterns, used for making curtains, furniture covers
etc
**chintz-y** /'tSIntsi/ adj 1 made of or looking like chintz 2 *AmE
infml* cheap and of low value
**'chin up** also **pull up** n an exercise in which you hang on to
a bar and pull up your body weight until your chin is above
the bar: *He did ten chin ups in quick succession.*
**chin-wag** /'tSInwæg/ n [S] *BrE infml* an informal conversation;
CHAT
C
chips
a chipped plate
a silicon chip
potato chips
**chip**¹ /tSip/ n 1 a small piece broken off something: *a chip of
glass/wood* | *chocolate chip cookies* 2 a mark left when a
small piece is broken off or knocked out of an object: *There's
a chip in this cup.* 3 [usually pl.] *BrE* || French fry *AmE* — a long
thin piece of potato cooked in deep fat: *She was frying
chips.* | *oven-cooked chips* -> see also FISH AND CHIPS 4 [usually
pl.] also **potato chip** — *AmE & AustrE* for CRISP 5 a flat plastic
object (COUNTER) used for representing money in certain
games 6 also **microchip**, silicon chip — a very small piece of
SILICON containing a set of ELECTRONIC parts and their
connections, which is used in computers and other
machines -> compare INTEGRATED CIRCUIT 7 a shot or kick
in football RUGBY etc in which the ball is sent into the air,
especially over an opposing player, and travels only a short
distance 8 a short GOLF shot that sends the ball high in the
air and onto the green 9 **a chip off the old block** *infml, often
apprec.* a person very like his or her mother or father in
character 10 **have a chip on one's shoulder** *infml* to be
quarrelsome or easily offended, especially as a result of
feeling unfairly treated: *He's got a chip on his shoulder about
not having gone to university.* 11 **have had one's chips** *BrE
infml* to have lost your power, position, life etc: *I'm afraid
we've had our chips - the company has gone bank-
rupt.* 12 **when the chips are down** *infml* when a very
important point is reached at which an important decision
has to be made or serious action taken: *When the chips are
down, you have only yourself to depend on.* -> see also BLUE
CHIP
**chip**² v -pp- 1 [i;T] to (cause to) lose a small piece from the
surface or edge, e.g. by breaking or dropping: *This china
chips easily.* | *Someone's chipped my best glass.* | *I'm afraid
I've chipped a piece out of/off this saucer.* 2 [T] especially *BrE* to
cut (potatoes) into small pieces ready to be cooked as
CHIPS 3 [T] (in football, GOLF etc) to kick or hit (a ball) in a
short high ARC
**chip away** phr v 1 [T(chip sthg, <-> away)] to destroy bit by bit,
by breaking small pieces off: *I chipped away the damaged
brick and replaced it with a new one.* 2 [I(@)] to (try to) break
small pieces off something: *He was chipping away at the rock
with a hammer.*
**chip in** phr v infml 1 [I(with);T+that] to enter a conversation
between other people with an opinion: *John chipped in with a
remark/chipped in that it was time to go home.* 2 [I(with);T(=
chip in sthg,)] to add (your share of money): *If everyone chips
in (a pound) we could get her something really nice.*
**chip**³ v [T] if someone chips a computer for playing games
on, such as a PlayStation or Xbox, they change it so that
they can use it to play games made by other companies or
which have been illegally copied
**,chip and 'pin, chip & pin** n [U] a system that is used in a
shop when you pay for something with a CREDIT CARD or a
DEBIT CARD. You have to TYPE your PIN NUMBER into a KEY
PAD (=small box with buttons on it). The chip and pin system
was introduced in order to reduce FRAUD (=the crime of
deceiving people in order to gain money or goods).
**chip-board** /'tSIpbO:dl-bO:rd/ n [U] board made from waste
pieces of wood mixed with glue, used as a building material
**chip-munk** /'tSIpMQNk/ also **ground squirrel** n a small
American animal like a SQUIRREL with a long bushy tail and
black-and-white bands along its back
**chip-o-la-ta** /,tSIpS'lQ:tS/ n a small thin SAUSAGE
**'chip pan** n a deep pan with a wire basket inside used for
cooking especially CHIPS (=potatoes cut into usually long
thin pieces and cooked in oil)
**Chip-pen-dale** /'tSIpSndeIl/ adj, n [U] Chippendale furniture
is made in an 18th-century style known for its graceful shapes
and fine decoration, named after the English furniture
designer Thomas Chippendale (1718-79): *a fine pair of Chip-
pendale chairs*
**Chip-pen-dales, the** /'tSIpSndeIlz/ a group of attractive
men with WELL-DEVELOPED muscles who entertain women
by performing in a show in which they remove most of
their clothes
**chip-per** /'tSIpS/ adj especially *AmE* cheerful and active;
SPRIGHTLY
**Chip-pe-wa** /'tSIpSwa:/ also **Ojibwa**, **Ojibway** n 1 the
Chippewa [P] a Native American tribe from the US state of
Michigan 2 [C] a member of this tribe -> see Cultural Note
at NATIVE AMERICAN —Chippewa adj: *The Chippewa economy
was based on hunting, fishing, and farming.*
**chip-ping** /'tSIpIN/ n [usually pl.] especially *BrE* a small rough
piece of stone used when putting new surfaces on roads,
railway tracks etc: *loose chippings on the road*
**chip-py** /'tSIpi/ n NEngE slang a shop which sells cooked fish
and CHIPS
**'chip shop** also **chippy** n a shop which cooks and sells CHIPS,
fish, PIES etc which are usually taken away to eat. Chip
shops are very popular in Britain especially when people
want a quick cheap meal.
**Chi-rac, Jacques** /'SIræk||'Si:rA:k, zækIlzA:k/ (1932-) a
CONSERVATIVE French politician who was PRIME MINISTER
from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988. He became
President of France in 1995 and was elected again in 2002.
**chi-ro-man-cy** /'kaIrSmænsi/ n [U] tech the art or practice of
telling someone's character or their future by examining their
hands; PALMISTRY
**chi-rop-o-dist** /kS'rOpSdIst, S5-Il-'ra:-/ also **podiatrist**
especially *AmE* — n a person who looks after the human foot
and treats diseases of the foot —-dy n [U]
**chi-ro-prac-tic** /'kaIrSpræktIk/ n [U] the method of treat-
ing back, joint, and muscle pain by feeling and pressing the
bones, especially those of the back and neck —-tor n
**chirp** /tS3:pltS3:rp/ also **chir-rup** /'tSIrSpIl'tSI-, 'tS3:-/
v 1 [I(AWAY)] to make the short sharp sound(s) of small birds or
some insects 2 [I;T(OUT)] to say or speak in a way that sounds
like this —chirp n
**chirp-y** /'tS3:piIl'tS3:rpi/ adj infml, especially *BrE* happy and cheer-
ful; LIGHT-HEARTED: *a chirpy little song* | *in a chirpy mood*
—-ily adv —-iness n [U]
**chis-el**¹ /'tSIzSl/ n a metal tool with a sharp cutting edge at
the end of a blade, used for cutting into or shaping wood,
stone etc
**chisel**² v -ll- *BrE* || -l- *AmE* 1 [I;T+obj+adv/prep] to cut or shape
with a chisel: *She chiselled an inscription on the marble.* | *He
chiselled a hole in the door to fit a new lock.* -> see also COLD
CHISEL 2 [T(out of)] *old-fash slang* a) to trick; deceive: *He
chiselled me out of £5!* b) to obtain by deceit
**chis-elled** *BrE* || **chiseled** /'tSIzSld/ adj (of a man) having a
mouth, nose etc with a strong clear shape: *chiselled features*
**Chis-holm, Shir-ley** /'tSIzSm, 'S3:IliIl'fSI:r-/ (1924-2005) a US
politician who was the first African-American woman to be
elected as a member of Congress. She was a member of the
House of Representatives from 1969 to 1983.
**'Chisholm Trail, the** a path used for moving millions of
cattle from Texas to Kansas during the 1800s