Definition

Noun: A small, typically metal, device used to hold sheets of paper together. It is formed from a single piece of wire bent into a double oval shape with two loops.

Examples

• Please use a gem clip to attach these receipts to the expense report.
• She fidgeted with a gem clip while thinking.
• The documents were neatly fastened with a gem clip.

Advanced Usage

• "To clip something together": To fasten items, typically papers, using a gem clip.
  • He clipped the pages together before handing in the manuscript.

Variants and Related Words

• Paper clip: The most common and direct synonym for "gem clip."
• Binder clip: A larger, more heavy-duty clip with folding metal arms.
• Bulldog clip: A strong clip with a lever mechanism, often used for thicker stacks of paper.

Synonyms

• Paper fastener
• Clip

Related Idioms

• "Hold things together": While not exclusive to the object, this idiom describes its primary function metaphorically.
  • Her leadership was the gem clip that held the team together during the crisis. (This is a figurative use comparing the function of a clip to a unifying force.)

Noun

1. a wire or plastic clip for holding sheets of paper together
   • the paper clip was invented in 1900