chipper

Everyday

1. (informal) Cheerful and lively, full of energy, as in «you're very chipper this morning». tree →
2. (Ireland, Scotland, informal) A chip shop, a takeaway selling fish and chips. tree →
3. A machine that chops wood or branches into small chips (a wood chipper). tree →

In the lessons

In everyday talk it describes a happy, bouncy mood. In Ireland and Scotland, «going to the chipper» means getting chips from the takeaway. In gardening and safety, a wood chipper is a dangerous machine only adults should use.

Examples

• Grandma was feeling chipper after her walk. tree →
• You're very chipper for a Monday morning! (informal) tree →
• We got fish and chips from the chipper. (Ireland) tree →
• The gardeners fed branches into the chipper. tree →
• Stay well away from the wood chipper. tree →
• He sounded chipper on the phone. tree →

Note

Informal adjective; it does not usually take «more» or «-er». Similar: cheerful, perky, upbeat. Countable as a noun: a chipper, chippers. In the UK, a chip shop is also called a «chippy».