chip

{{11}}chip (n.) O.E. cipp "piece of wood," perhaps from PIE root *keipo- "sharp post" (Cf. Du. kip "small strip of wood," O.H.G. kipfa "wagon pole," O.N. keppr "stick," L. cippus "post, stake, beam;" the Germanic words perhaps borrowed from Latin). Meaning "counter used in a game of chance" is first recorded 1840; electronics sense is from 1962. Used for thin slices of foodstuffs (originally fruit) since 1769; specific reference to potatoes is found by 1859 (in "A Tale of Two Cities"); potato chip is attested by 1879. Meaning "piece of dried dung" first attested 1846. Chip of the old block is used by Milton (1642); earlier form was chip of the same block (1620s); more common modern phrase with off in place of of is early 20c. To have a chip on one's shoulder is from at least 1820s, U.S., from the custom of a boy determined to fight putting a chip on his shoulder and defying another to knock it off.

{{12}}chip (v.) early 15c., from O.E. forcippian "to pare away by cutting," verbal form of cipp "small piece of wood" (see CHIP (Cf. chip) (n.)). Related: Chipped; chipping. Sense of "break off fragments" is 18c. To chip in "contribute" (1861) is Amer.Eng., perhaps from card-playing.