Chip

subs. (American).—1.  [In pl.] Items of news, more especially LOCALS (q.v.).

  2.  A reporter who collects CHIPS, sense 1.

  3.  (common).—A sovereign.—See CHIPS, sense 5.

  1883.  M. E. BRADDON, Phantom Fortune, ch. xli. Where sheafs of bank notes were being exchanged for those various coloured counters which represented divers values, from the respectable ‘pony’ to the modest ‘CHIP.’

  4.  (gaming).—See CHIPS, subs. sense 2.

  Verb (American).—To understand. For synonyms, see TWIG.

  1887.  F. FRANCIS, Jun., Saddle and Moccasin, vii. 124. 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.

  1869.  S. L. CLEMENS (‘Mark Twain’), The 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, The 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.

  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.  J. GOAD, Astro-meteorologica, 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 Notes and Queries, 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.]