Word
chippy
Phoneticschip·py, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈtʃɪpi/
UK/tʃˈɪpi/
Definition
adj. quick to get rough or angry during a sports game. You use it when players start pushing, fouling, and arguing over little things.
adj. prone to rough play, pushing, and heated exchanges during a sports contest. Often describes a game, period of play, or general atmosphere that threatens to boil over into fighting.
Examples
“The game turns chippy in the final minutes.”
“The derby turned chippy after a late tackle, and the referee warned both teams to calm down.”
“As the playoff race tightens, practices grow chippy, with veterans testing rookies and coaches working to keep fierce competition from becoming careless fouls.”
Examples
simple
“The game turns chippy in the final minutes.”
contextual
“The derby turned chippy after a late tackle, and the referee warned both teams to calm down.”
complex
“As the playoff race tightens, practices grow chippy, with veterans testing rookies and coaches working to keep fierce competition from becoming careless fouls.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “chippy” in context.
Verb
01. become chippy
“The final quarter became chippy when players began shoving each other.”
verb + adj
02. brace for chippy
“Coaches told the team to brace for chippy tactics from rivals.”
verb + prep + adj
03. deal with chippy
“The referee struggled to deal with chippy play in the second half.”
verb + prep + adj
04. get chippy
“The game started to get chippy after two hard fouls in a row.”
verb + adj
Adjective
05. increasingly chippy
“The match grew increasingly chippy as the players lost their temper.”
adv + adj
Noun
06. chippy affair
“The playoff turned into a chippy affair with constant fouls.”
adj + noun
07. chippy game
“It was a chippy game with lots of pushing and yellow cards.”
adj + noun
08. chippy match
“The chippy match was stopped twice to calm the players down.”
adj + noun
09. chippy player
“Their striker is a chippy player who argues after every foul.”
adj + noun
10. expect a chippy game
“Coaches expect a chippy game when these two teams meet.”
11. game got chippy late
“The rivalry game got chippy late with pushing after every whistle.”
12. it got a little chippy
“It got a little chippy in the third quarter, so the ref called timeout.”
Usage
Typically describes a game, period of play, or atmosphere; also used predicatively for players' behaviour.
Etymology
From chip + -y.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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