noun

chippy

irritable, testy

I'm going to the chippy for dinner.

I'm going to the fish and chip shop for dinner.

The game got a bit chippy in the second half.

The game got a bit testy in the second half.

((the)) chippy (noun, BrE) a fish and chip shop I'm going to the chippy.

((to get)) chippy (adjective) to become irritable The players started to get chippy.

Noun: fish and chip shop; Adjective: irritable, testy, touchy

Noun (BrE): Short for 'chip shop'. Adjective: From the idea of 'chipping' away at someone, being aggressive.

The noun 'chippy' is very British. For the adjective, imagine a tense situation where people are making small, aggressive 'chips' at each other.

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