# clipping

Pronunciation: US say "KLIP-ing" /ˈklɪpɪŋ/; UK

## Noun

1. A small piece removed from something by cutting or trimming.
   - Simple: A small piece cut or trimmed off something larger.
   - _The gardener raked the hedge clippings into a tidy heap._
   - _A clipping of fingernail had lodged in the carpet fibers._
2. An article or item cut out from a newspaper or, less often, a magazine.
   - Simple: A piece cut out of a newspaper or magazine to keep.
   - _The historian sorted through yellowed clippings from wartime newspapers._
   - _She framed the clipping announcing her grandfather's election._
3. The act by which something is cut or trimmed off.
   - Simple: The act of cutting or trimming something off.
   - _The clipping of coupons from the Sunday paper was her weekly ritual._
   - _Wool clipping on the farm begins in late spring._
5. A shortened word formed by removing one or more syllables, often from the end of a longer word.
   - Simple: A short word made by cutting syllables off a longer word.
   - _Linguists count 'fridge' as a clipping of 'refrigerator'._
   - _English absorbs new clippings constantly, from 'app' to 'memo'._
6. The cutting off of a signal at the points where it exceeds a set maximum level.
   - Simple: Cutting off the tops of a signal when it grows too strong for the system to handle.
   - _The recording suffered from clipping because the input gain was set too high._
   - _Engineers lowered the gain to avoid clipping on the loudest passages._
7. A word-formation process that creates new words by shortening longer ones, often by removing final syllables.
   - Simple: Making a shorter word by cutting syllables off a longer one.
   - _Clipping is one of the most productive ways English shortens words._
   - _Through clipping, 'laboratory' became the everyday 'lab'._
8. The use of a mask to hide or cut off part of an object or image so only a chosen area shows.
   - Simple: Hiding part of a picture by covering it with a shape or mask.
   - _The designer applied clipping to reveal only the logo's outline._
   - _Without clipping, the graphic would spill past its frame._
9. In football, coming up behind an opponent and then falling, rolling, or throwing one's body onto the back of their legs. *(Canadian)*
   - Simple: Hitting the back of an opponent's legs after coming up behind them.
   - _The defender was flagged for clipping during the kick return._
   - _Clipping from behind drew a heavy penalty in the second half._

## Verb

4. Present participle and gerund of clip. — present participle and gerund of clip
   - Simple: Present participle of clip. Use this form for the action happening right now.
   - _He kept clipping coupons until the stack overflowed._
   - _They are clipping the sheep's wool this week._

## Adjective

10. Excellent; first-rate. *(obsolete, UK)*
   - Simple: Really good or excellent.

## Origin

Formed from "clip" plus the suffix "-ing".

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/clipping (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).