chip / chip/ • n. 1. a small piece of something removed in the course of chopping, cutting, or breaking something, esp. a hard material such as wood or stone: mulch the shrubs with cedar chips. ∎  a hole or flaw left by the removal of such a piece: a chip on his tooth.2. a thin slice of food made crisp by being fried, baked, or dried and typically eaten as a snack: tortilla chips. ∎  a small chunk of candy added to desserts or sweet snacks, esp. of chocolate. ∎  (chips) chiefly Brit. French fries: an order of fish and chips.3. short for microchip.4. a counter used in certain gambling games to represent money: a poker chip.5. (in golf, soccer, and other sports) a short lofted kick or shot with the ball. ∎  Tennis a softly sliced return intended to land between the net and the opponent’s service line.• v. (chipped, chip·ping) [tr.] 1. cut or break (a small piece) from the edge or surface of a hard material: chipping ice off the upper deck. ∎  [intr.] (of a material or object) break at the edge or on the surface: the paint had chipped off. ∎  cut pieces off (a hard material) to alter its shape or break it up: it required a craftsman to chip the blocks of flint to the required shape | [intr.] she chipped away at the ground. 2. (in golf, soccer, and other sports) kick or strike (a ball or shot) to produce a short lobbed shot or pass: he chipped a superb shot.PHRASES: a chip off the old block inf. someone who resembles his or her parent, esp. in character.a chip on one's shoulder inf. a deeply ingrained grievance, typically about a particular thing.when the chips are down inf. when a very serious and difficult situation arises.PHRASAL VERBS: chip away gradually and relentlessly make something smaller or weaker: rivals may chip away at one's profits by undercutting product prices.chip in (or chip something in) contribute something as one's share of a joint activity, cost, etc.