chips

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "chips" is correct and usable in written English, depending on the context.
You can use it when referring to small, thin pieces of food, such as potato chips, or in a metaphorical sense, like "chips are down" in gambling or risk contexts. Example: "I love snacking on chips while watching a movie."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Travel

Music

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Seems he has spent most of the last eight weeks doing nothing but hitting chips.

The Guardian - Sport

A "chips tax" on unhealthy foodstuffs will be extended to alcoholic drinks, while an environmental levy will be extended to shampoo, soap and other products.

The Guardian

Signifying sunshine, beauty and freedom, butterflies are ubiquitous in our culture, ever-present on greeting cards and used to sell everything from oven chips to SUVs.

The Guardian - Film

Distraught and unsure what to do, he said he drifted down to London and began sleeping in parks and on night buses and begging for £1 from passers-by to buy chips.

The Guardian

Not long ago Blake was called round to Kanye West's mansion, to play music and eat chicken and chips.

The Guardian - Music

The entire clip was filmed on location in Gibson's home territory of Pennsylvania's coal region, featuring the towns of Centralia, Jim Thorpe, Mahanoy City, Mt Carmel, Nesquehoning, Shamokin and Shenandoah; little happens aside from the looming sense of foreboding, tempered slightly by closeups of the Sub Pop heartthrob shovelling chips into his mouth.

The Guardian - Music

On the evening she lost the £2m she had signed and given individual cheques for £200,000 and £300,000 in return for gambling chips.

The Guardian

One box contains chips covered in processed cheese, the other has doner meat shavings.

The Guardian

While Campbell's redoubtable wife Elspeth has a taste for demotic television - she famously completed a dissertation on the matriarchs of Coronation Street -she does not seem the type to take kindly to fish and chips in her hotel bedroom.

The Guardian

When Gavin Grant's appointment was announced, a Lib Dem MP told the press that Grant had gone up to Campbell hotel room where he was preparing for a speech and "found him with a plate of fish and chips on his lap watching Strictly Come Dancing".

The Guardian

I move on to gripe about the rubbish food, the giant "Buddy Cokess, the chips, the bain-marie pies.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to fried potatoes in British English, "chips" is the standard term. In American English, distinguish between "chips" (thin, fried potato slices) and "french fries" (thicker, fried potato strips).

Common error

Avoid using "chips" to refer to french fries in American English; this can lead to confusion. Instead, use "chips" for thin, fried potato slices and "french fries" for the thicker cut.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "chips" is as a plural noun. It denotes multiple instances of a chip, whether referring to snack foods, gambling tokens, or electronic components. Ludwig examples show it functioning as the object of verbs, such as "eat chicken and chips".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Travel

20%

Music

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Science

8%

Reference

7%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "chips" is a versatile plural noun with various meanings, ranging from snack foods to gambling tokens and electronic components. Ludwig AI indicates that its usage is grammatically correct and very common, as demonstrated by the numerous examples from diverse sources. While primarily found in News & Media, Travel, and Music contexts, "chips" maintains a neutral register suitable for both casual and professional settings. When clarity is crucial, consider using more specific terms like "potato crisps", "casino chips", or "microchips" to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

crisps

A more concise synonym for "chips", commonly used in the UK to refer to potato chips.

snack chips

Adds the adjective "snack" to specify that the "chips" are intended as a snack.

potato crisps

Replaces "chips" with a more specific term referring to thin, fried potato slices, often used in British English.

french fries

Substitutes "chips" with another common term for fried potato strips, particularly in American English.

casino chips

Specifies that the "chips" are used in a casino setting.

gambling tokens

Replaces "chips" in the context of gambling with a more descriptive term.

microchips

Refers specifically to "chips" as integrated circuits used in electronics.

integrated circuits

A more technical term for "microchips", emphasizing their function in electronic devices.

semiconductors

A broader term that includes "chips" as components of electronic devices.

wood shavings

Refers to "chips" as small pieces of wood, typically from woodworking.

FAQs

How do I use "chips" in a sentence?

You can use "chips" to refer to fried potato snacks, as in, "I bought a bag of "potato chips"." It can also refer to gambling tokens, such as, "He exchanged his money for "casino chips"."

What's the difference between "chips" and "crisps"?

"Chips" and "crisps" are often used interchangeably, but "crisps" is more common in British English when referring to what Americans call ""potato chips"".

Which is correct, "fish and chips" or "fish and fries"?

"Fish and "chips"" is the traditional British dish. In American English, "fish and fries" is more common, though it refers to a similar meal with french fries instead of British chips.

What are some synonyms for "chips" in the context of electronics?

In electronics, ""chips"" can refer to microchips or integrated circuits. You might also use the term "semiconductors".