snipping

Everyday

1. Cutting something with quick, short cuts, usually with scissors. tree →
2. Cutting small bits off something, such as hair, paper or a plant. tree →
3. (informal) Cutting a small part out of a text, picture or video. tree →

In the lessons

In art and craft lessons pupils are snipping paper, string and fabric. In gardening people are snipping dead flowers off plants. In stories the sound «snip, snip» shows careful, quick cutting. On computers «snipping» a picture means cutting out part of the screen. Phrases: «snipping off», «snipping away», «snipping tool».

Examples

• The hairdresser was snipping at my fringe. tree →
• We spent the art lesson snipping paper into snowflakes. tree →
• Grandpa was snipping the dead roses off the bush. tree →
• Be careful when snipping near your fingers. tree →
• She is snipping out pictures from old magazines for her poster. tree →
• The tailor kept snipping loose threads. tree →
• I used a snipping tool to copy part of the screen. tree →
• The floor was covered in snippings of coloured paper. tree →

Note

The final «p» doubles before -ing and -ed: snip → snipping, snipped. «Snipping» means small quick cuts, not big chops. Do not mix it up with «sniping» (shooting from a hiding place, or saying nasty things), which has one «p».