Definition

1. Noun:
   • A tool for cutting or trimming: A device, often used in the plural form "clippers," designed to cut or shorten hair, fingernails, toenails, or grass.
   • A fast sailing ship: A type of merchant sailing vessel of the 19th century, built for speed and used for long-distance trade, especially across oceans.
   • An electronic circuit: A device in electronics that limits the amplitude of a signal by cutting off ("clipping") parts of the waveform that exceed a set level.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Tool):
  • I need to buy new hair clippers for a home haircut.
  • The gardener used grass clippers to trim the hedge.
• Noun (Ship):
  • The tea clipper raced from China to London.
  • Clippers were famous for their sleek design and speed.
• Noun (Electronics):
  • The engineer added a clipper to the circuit to prevent signal distortion.

Advanced Usage

• "clipper ship": This specific term emphasizes the historical sailing vessel.
  • The Cutty Sark is a famous preserved clipper ship.
• The plural form "clippers" is standard when referring to the handheld cutting tools (e.g., nail clippers, hedge clippers).

Variants and Related Words

• Clip (verb): To cut or trim with shears or clippers.
  • He will clip the dog's fur.
• Clipping (noun): A piece that has been cut off, or the act of cutting.
  • Save the newspaper clippings.

Synonyms

• Trimmer: A tool for cutting or shaping.
• Clippers (as a ship): Fast ship, merchant ship, windjammer.
• Limiter (in electronics): A device that restricts signal amplitude.

Related Phrases

• Nail clippers: A small handheld tool for trimming fingernails and toenails.
• Hair clippers: An electric or manual tool for cutting hair.
• Hedge clippers: A tool, often with two long handles, for trimming shrubs.

Noun

1. scissors for cutting hair or finger nails (often used in the plural)
2. shears for cutting grass or shrubbery (often used in the plural)
3. a fast sailing ship used in former times
4. (electronics) a nonlinear electronic circuit whose output is limited in amplitude; used to limit the instantaneous amplitude of a waveform (to clip off the peaks of a waveform)
   • a limiter introduces amplitude distortion