a metal frame or container holding cartridges; can be inserted into an automatic gun
"He checked his magazine to make sure it was fully loaded before stepping out onto the porch."
any of various small fasteners used to hold loose articles together
"She clipped her pen to her shirt pocket so it wouldn't fall out while she worked."
an article of jewelry that can be clipped onto a hat or dress
"She carefully attached the jeweled clip to the brim of her wide-brimmed hat for the wedding photos."
Something which clips or grasps; a device for attaching one object to another.
"She carefully cut off the single leaf she needed to clip for her arrangement."
Something which has been clipped from a larger whole:
"After the spring lambing, we sorted every fleece by its clip to ensure each had been shorn at the optimal time for maximum wool density."
The product of a single shearing of sheep.
In plain English: A clip is a small piece of metal or plastic used to hold things together or keep them from moving.
"She clipped a photo from the newspaper and stuck it on her fridge."
Usage: Use "clip" as a noun to describe a small piece that has been cut or torn off a larger whole, such as a hair clip or a newspaper clipping. Do not use it for the action of cutting itself, which requires the verb form.
To grip tightly.
"She used the garden shears to clip back the overgrown rose bushes before spring arrived."
To cut, especially with scissors or shears as opposed to a knife etc.
In plain English: To clip something means to cut it quickly and neatly with scissors or shears.
"She clipped the wire to the fence with a pair of pliers."
Usage: Use "clip" when you cut something quickly and cleanly using shears or pincers rather than a sharp blade. This action often implies trimming hair, fingernails, or garden foliage without leaving jagged edges.
The word clip comes from the Old English clyppan, which originally meant to hug or clasp something. Over time, this sense of holding onto something firmly shifted in English to refer to cutting off a piece with shears.