clippie

clippie

A clippie collects fares from passengers on the bus.

Definition

Noun (informal, British): - A female bus conductor who collects fares and issues tickets, typically by clipping or punching them with a ticket punch.

This term is derived from the verb "to clip" (meaning to cut or punch a hole) and the affectionate or diminutive suffix "-ie" (or "-y"), indicating a person associated with that action. The word was most commonly used in the mid-20th century, especially during and after World War II, when women took on roles as bus conductors while men were away at war.

Usage Examples
  • (The female bus conductor smiled while collecting the fare.)
  • (My grandmother was a bus conductor in London during the 1940s.)
  • (The bus conductor announced for passengers to pay their fares.)
  • (He remembers the friendly female bus conductor.)
Advanced Usage
  • Historical context: The term "clippie" is now largely obsolete or nostalgic, as modern buses use automated ticket machines or contactless payment systems. It evokes a specific era of public transport history.
  • Regional variation: While primarily British, the term was also used in other Commonwealth countries (e.g., Australia, New Zealand) during the same period.
  • "Clippie" can sometimes be used generically for any female transport worker who collects tickets, though this is rare.
Variants and Related Words
  • Clipper (noun): a tool for clipping or punching tickets, or a person who clips tickets (e.g., a ticket clipper).
    • The conductor used a silver clipper to punch holes in the tickets. (The tool used to clip tickets.)
  • Clip (verb): to cut, cut off, or punch a hole in something.
    • Please clip your ticket before boarding. (Punch a hole in the ticket.)
  • Conductress (noun): a female conductor on a bus or train (more formal but less common than "clippie").
    • The conductress announced the next stop. (The female bus conductor.)
Synonyms
  • Conductress: a formal term for a female bus or train conductor.
    • The conductress collected fares efficiently. (The female conductor.)
  • Ticket collector: a person who collects tickets on public transport (gender-neutral).
    • The ticket collector checked everyone's pass. (A person who collects tickets.)
  • Fare collector: a person who collects fares on a bus (less common).
    • The fare collector worked for the city transport company. (A person who collects fares.)
Related Idioms
  • "To clip someone's ticket" (informal, British): to thwart or defeat someone, or to put an end to their plans.
    • The unexpected rain clipped our picnic plans. (Ruined our plans; note: this idiom does not directly involve a "clippie" but uses the verb "clip" metaphorically.)
  • "Ticket to ride": a phrase meaning a means of travel or opportunity (not directly related, but shares the context of bus travel).
    • He saved his money for a ticket to ride across Europe. (A travel ticket.)
Phrasal Verbs
  • Clip off: to cut or remove something by clipping.
    • The clippie clipped off the corner of my ticket. (The conductor cut off a small part of the ticket.)
  • Clip out: to cut something out, such as a coupon or article.
    • She clipped out the bus schedule from the newspaper. (Cut out a piece of paper.)