Chipping noun
1. A chip; a piece separated by a cutting or graving instrument; a fragment.

2. The act or process of cutting or breaking off small pieces, as in dressing iron with a chisel, or reducing a timber or block of stone to shape.

3. The breaking off in small pieces of the edges of potter's ware, porcelain, etc.

Chipping bird (Zoology) The chippy.

Chipping squirrel See Chipmunk .

Chippy adjective Abounding in, or resembling, chips; dry and tasteless.

Chippy noun (Zoology) A small American sparrow ( Spizella socialis ), very common near dwelling; -- also called chipping bird and chipping sparrow , from its simple note.

Chips noun (Nautical) A ship's carpenter. [ Cant.]

Chiragra noun [ Latin , from Greek ...; ... hand + ... seizure.] (Medicine) Gout in the hand.

Chiragrical adjective Having the gout in the hand, or subject to that disease. Sir. T. Browne.

Chiretta noun [ Hind. chirāītā .] A plant ( Agathotes Chirayta ) found in Northern India, having medicinal properties to the gentian, and esteemed as a tonic and febrifuge.

Chirk intransitive verb [ Confer Chirp , also Creak .]
1. To shriek; to gnash; to utter harsh or shrill cries. [ Obsolete]

All full of chirkyng was that sorry place.
Cheucer.

2. To chirp like a bird. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Chirk transitive verb To cheer; to enliven; as, to chirk one up. [ Colloq. New Eng. ]

Chirk adjective [ From Chirk , intransitive verb ] Lively; cheerful; in good spirits. [ Colloq. New Eng.]

Chirm intransitive verb [ Confer Anglo-Saxon cyrman , cirman , to cry out. √24 Confer Chirp .] To chirp or to make a mournful cry, as a bird. [ Obsolete] Huloet.

Chirm noun [ Anglo-Saxon cirm , cyrm .] Noise; din; esp.; confused noise, clamor, or hum of many voices, notes of birds, or the like.

Chirognomy noun [ Greek chei`r hand + ... understanding.] The art of judging character by the shape and appearance of the hand.

Chirograph noun [ Greek ... written with the hand; chei`r hand + gra`fein to write.] (Old. Law) (a) A writing which, requiring a counterpart, was engrossed twice on the same piece of parchment, with a space between, in which was written the word chirographum , through which the parchment was cut, and one part given to each party. It answered to what is now called a charter party . (b) The last part of a fine of land, commonly called the foot of the fine. Bouvier.

Chirographer noun
1. One who practice the art or business of writing or engrossing.

2. See chirographist , 2.

Chirographer of fines (Old Eng. Law) , an officer in the court of common pleas, who engrossed fines.

Chirographic, Chirographical adjective Of or pertaining to chirography.

Chirographist noun
1. A chirographer; a writer or engrosser.

2. One who tells fortunes by examining the hand.

Chirography noun
1. The art of writing or engrossing; handwriting; as, skilled in chirography .

2. The art of telling fortunes by examining the hand.

Chirogymnast noun [ Greek chei`r hand + ... trainer of athletes, gymnast.] A mechanical contrivance for exercising the fingers of a pianist.

Chirological adjective Relating to chirology.

Chirologist noun One who communicates thoughts by signs made with the hands and fingers.

Chirology noun [ Greek chei`r hand + -logy .] The art or practice of using the manual alphabet or of communicating thoughts by sings made by the hands and fingers; a substitute for spoken or written language in intercourse with the deaf and dumb. See Dactylalogy .

Chiromancer noun One who practices chiromancy. Dryden.

Chiromancy noun [ Greek chei`r hand + -mancy .] The art or practice of foretelling events, or of telling the fortunes or the disposition of persons by inspecting the hand; palmistry.

Chiromanist, Chiromantist noun [ Greek ....] A chiromancer.

Chiromantic, Chiromantical adjective Of or pertaining to chiromancy.

Chiromonic adjective Relating to chironomy.

Chironomy noun [ Greek ...; chei`r hand + ... to manage.] The art of moving the hands in oratory or in pantomime; gesture [ Obsolete]

Chiroplast noun [ Greek ... formed by hand; chei`r hand + ... to shape.] (Mus.) An instrument to guid the hands and fingers of pupils in playing on the piano, etc.

Chiropodist noun [ Greek chei`r hand + ...; ..., foot.] One who treats diseases of the hands and feet; especially, one who removes corns and bunions.

Chiropody noun The art of treating diseases of the hands and feet.

Chirosophist noun [ Greek chei`r hand + ... skillful, wise. See Sophist .] A fortune teller.

Chirp intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Chirped ; present participle & verbal noun Chirping .] [ Of imitative orgin. Confer Chirk , Chipper , Cheep , Chirm , Chirrup .] To make a shop, sharp, cheerful, as of small birds or crickets.

Chirp noun A short, sharp note, as of a bird or insect. "The chirp of flitting bird." Bryant.

Chirper noun One who chirps, or is cheerful.

Chirping adjective Cheering; enlivening.

He takes his chirping pint, he cracks his jokes.
Pope.

Chirpingly adverb In a chirping manner.

Chirre intransitive verb [ Confer German girren , Anglo-Saxon corian to murmur, complain. √24.] To coo, as a pigeon. [ Obsolete]

Chirrup transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Chirruped ; present participle & verbal noun Chirruping .] [ See Chirp .] To quicken or animate by chirping; to cherup.

Chirrup intransitive verb To chirp. Tennyson.

The criket chirrups on the hearth.
Goldsmith.

Chirrup noun The act of chirping; a chirp.

The sparrows' chirrup on the roof.
Tennyson.

Chirrupy adjective Cheerful; joyous; chatty.

Chirurgeon noun [ French chirurgien , from chirurgie surgery, from Greek ..., from ... working or operating with the hand; chei`r hand + ... work. Confer Surgeon , Work .] A surgeon. [ Obsolete]

Chirurgeonly adverb Surgically. [ Obsolete] Shak.

Chirurgery noun [ See Chirurgeon , and confer Surgery .] Surgery. [ Obsolete]

Chirurgic, Chirurgical adjective [ Confer French chirurgique rurgical, Latin Chirurgicus , Greek .... See Chirurgeon , and confer Surgical .] Surgical [ Obsolete] " Chirurgical lore" Longfellow.

Chisel noun [ Old French chisel , French ciseau , from Late Latin cisellus , probably for caesellus , from Latin caesus , past participle of caedere to cut. Confer Scissors .] A tool with a cutting edge on one end of a metal blade, used in dressing, shaping, or working in timber, stone, metal, etc.; -- usually driven by a mallet or hammer.

Cold chisel . See under Cold , adjective

Chisel transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Chiseled , or Chiselled ; present participle & verbal noun Chiseling , or Chiselling .] [ Confer French ciseler .]
1. To cut, pare, gouge, or engrave with a chisel; as, to chisel a block of marble into a statue.

2. To cut close, as in a bargain; to cheat. [ Slang]