subs. (colloquial).—A smart blow, e.g., a CLIP in the eye. For synonyms, see DIG, BANG, and WIPE.

1

  1830.  MARRYAT, The King’s Own, xxvi. The master fires and hits the cat a CLIP on the neck.

2

  1835.  HALIBURTON (‘Sam Slick’), The Clockmaker (1862), 89. He made a pull at the old-fashioned sword … and drawing it out he made a CLIP at him.

3

  1860.  Police Gazette, 17 Nov. He ran up to him, hit him a severe CLIP, and dashed through the window.

4

  Verb (colloquial).—To move quickly. For analogous terms, see AMPUTATE. [Probably originally a falconry term = to fly swiftly.]

5

  1833.  M. SCOTT, Tom Cringle’s Log, xii. (1859), 281. He CLIPPED into the water with the speed of light.

6

  1835–40.  HALIBURTON (‘Sam Slick’), The Clockmaker (1862), 46. He sees a steam-boat a CLIPPIN it by him like mad. Ibid., 1843–4. Sam Slick in England, viii. (BARTLETT). I ran all the way, right down as hard as I could CLIP.

7