Definition

Noun: A clip joint is a business establishment, typically a nightclub, bar, or similar entertainment venue, that charges customers excessively high prices for goods or services of very poor quality. The term implies a deliberate intent to cheat or overcharge patrons.

Usage

The term "clip joint" is used to describe and criticize a dishonest commercial establishment. It is often employed in informal or journalistic contexts to warn others. * We thought it was a nice club, but it turned out to be a total clip joint; they charged us fifty dollars for two watered-down drinks. * Tourists should be wary of clip joints in that part of the city. * The article exposed the restaurant as a clip joint that targets unsuspecting visitors.

Advanced Usage

• The phrase often carries a connotation of a tourist trap, but with stronger implications of fraud and exploitation.
• It can be used metaphorically to describe any situation or deal where one feels severely overcharged for inferior value.
  • That new streaming service is a clip joint—high subscription fees for a library of old, low-quality movies.

Variants and Related Words

• To clip (someone) (verb, slang): To cheat or overcharge someone, especially by shortchanging them or charging exorbitant prices. This is the etymological root of "clip joint."
  • The taxi driver tried to clip me by taking the longest route.

Synonyms

• Rip-off joint: (Informal) A very similar term emphasizing being cheated.
• Tourist trap: A place that attracts tourists and charges high prices, though not always with the same malicious intent as a clip joint.
• Swindle: (Noun) A fraudulent scheme or action.
• Racket: (Informal) A dishonest or fraudulent business or scheme.

Idioms and Related Phrases

• To be taken for a ride: To be cheated or deceived, often involving financial loss.
  • We were taken for a ride at that clip joint downtown.

Noun

1. a place of entertainment where high prices are charged for poor entertainment