[f. CHIP v.1]
1. The action of the verb CHIP; the act of chopping lightly or breaking off small pieces, of cracking or breaking the shell of an egg, etc.
1611. Cotgr., s.v. Chapplis … the chipping of bread.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., Chipping, a phrase used by the potters and China-men to express that common accident…, the flying off of small pieces, or breaking at the edges.
1816. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, I. 17. Metals are sometimes wrought by chipping.
1836. Emerson, Nature, i. Wks. (Bohn), II. 141. A little chipping … patching, and washing.
1865. Tylor, Early Hist. Man., viii. 193. Show a vast predominance of chipping over grinding.
2. concr. † a. A paring of the crust of a loaf. (Usually in pl.) Obs.
1474. in Househ. Ord. (1790), 32. The Pantryes, Chippinges, and broken breade.
1592. Nashe, P. Penilesse (ed. 2), F 19 b. Thou hast capt and kneed him … for a chipping.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., III. i. III. iii. (1651), 430. Poor Lazarus lies howling … he only seeks chippings.
1727. Bradley, Fam. Dict., s.v. Duck, [Ducks] eating such Grain or Chippings as you shall throw to them.
b. gen. A small piece (of wood, stone, etc.), chipped off, esp. in dressing or shaping. (Usually pl. Cf. parings, cuttings, etc.) Also fig.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 75. Chyppynge of ledyr, or clothe, or other lyke, succidia.
1610. Althorp MS., in Simpkinson, Washingtons, Introd. 6. A little new cesterne of lead, a binge to putt the chipings in.
a. 1631. Donne, Serm., xli. (1640), 411. These chippings of the world, these fragmentary and incoherent men [who embrace no calling].
1677. Plot, Oxfordsh., 244. The chippings of the stone they hew at their Quarry.
1747. Hooson, Miner’s Dict., 8 j. Scafflings [is] what comes off from the Ore in dressing it … which is called also by the name of Chippings.
1865. Englishman’s Mag., Feb., 152. Dealing in parings and chippings of reasoning.
† 3. Chapping (of the skin). Obs. exc. dial.
1545. Raynold, Byrth Mankynde, 116. Exulceration or chyppyng of the mouth.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 148. A dogs head made into powder … cureth … the chippings in the fingers.
4. attrib. as chipping-ax = CHIP-AX; chipping-bit = chipping-piece b.; chipping-chisel, a cold chisel with a slightly convex face for chipping off the inequalities of cast-iron; † chipping-knife, a knife used for ‘chipping’ bread (obs.; see CHIP v.1 1); chipping-machine, ‘a planing-machine for cutting dye-wood into chips’ (Knight, Dict. Mech.); chipping-piece (Founding), ‘a. an elevated cast (or forged) surface, affording surplus metal for reduction by the tools; b. the projecting piece of iron cast on the face of a piece of iron-framing, where it is intended to be fitted against another’ (Knight); † chipping-time, see quot. and CHIP v.1 5 (obs. ? dial.). So chipping-block.
1611. Cotgr., Epeau, a Coopers *chipping ax.
1849. Specif. Britten’s patent, No. 12. 548. Instead of the ordinary *chipping bit … I use a set screw.
1601. Q. Eliz. Househ. Bk., in Househ. Ord. (1790), 294. The yeomen [of the Pantry] have for their fees, all the chippings of breade … for the which they find *chipping knives.
1610. Althorp MS., in Simpkinson, Washingtons, Introd. 8. Itm paring iron, cheeping knives, tosting forke.
c. 1750. W. Ellis, Mod. Husbandman, I. i. 2. If it [wheat] has a good sprouting or *Chipping-Time, it may be yet killed by the Frost.
1792. Wolcott (P. Pindar), Ep. on New-Made Lord, Wks. 1812, III. 191. The Carpenters … the men of *chipping trade.
Chipping, common var. of CHEAPING market, in place-names.
