clipping

Everyday

1. A clipping is an article or picture cut out of a newspaper or magazine. tree →
2. Clippings are small pieces cut off something, such as grass, hair or nails. tree →
3. Clipping is the -ing form of «clip»: cutting something short, or fastening with a clip. tree →

In the lessons

In school projects children stick newspaper clippings into a scrapbook. In the garden, grass clippings go into the compost. Phrases: newspaper clipping, grass clippings, hedge clippings, toenail clippings.

Examples

• Mum kept a newspaper clipping about my football team. tree →
• We glued magazine clippings onto our poster. tree →
• Put the grass clippings in the compost bin. tree →
• Dad is clipping the hedge. tree →
• There were hair clippings all over the barber's floor. tree →
• She is clipping the pages together. tree →

Note

Countable noun: a clipping, clippings. British English also says «a cutting» for a newspaper clipping. Verb: clip, clips, clipped, clipping (double p).