noun

chad

chad, punch-out

The voting machine left a hanging chad.

The voting machine left a hanging chad.

Tiny pieces of chad littered the floor.

Tiny pieces of chad littered the floor.

((a)) hanging chad a piece not fully detached. The voting machine left a hanging chad.

((pieces of)) chad small bits of paper. Tiny pieces of chad littered the floor.

Synonyms: punch-out, confetti, scrap

The word's origin is unknown. It gained widespread use after the 2000 US presidential election.

Think of the 'hanging chad' issue that decided an election. It's a tiny piece of paper with big consequences.

This page is designed for learning support. Please use it as a learning reference, not as a formal reference.