bulldog clip
/ˈbʊlˌdɔɡ ˈklɪp/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.33 in modern English
19
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
2
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A binder clip with rigid handles.
noun
A surgical instrument with serrated jaws and a spring-loaded handle used to grip blood vessels or similar organs.
Example Sentences
- "We need to remind children that magnetic compasses will be deflected from the north reading if near metal – for example a car, a metal bulldog clip on a clipboard, or a metal bar under a table."
- "If weight carriers are not available use a strong bulldog clip with a pot attached to it by thread going through the hole. Clip this to the sheet of paper and gradually add weights to the pot. The bulldog clip sometimes slips off the paper, so wrap the end of the paper around a pencil and the bulldog clip will grip this."
- "A twist of ribbon, a wine cork, a bunch of diplomats' calling cards held together with a bulldog clip."
- "Sketching galaxies and nebulae at the eyepiece, in low light levels, is no easy matter. A small torch can be used but that leaves one less hand free, so it's quite common to use a stiff plywood or plastic board to fasten the paper and light to – possibly with bulldog clips or clothes pegs."
- "When filled, a bulldog clip-forceps on the india-rubber tube, close to the canula, will prevent the escape of the water on transferring the syringe to position."
- "Objections to the bulldog clip are that, in students' hands at least, it is more likely to do damage and lead to clotting than is the thread-loop, and that, on account of its small size and liability to be left by the student in the wound, it is apt to be lost, e.g. thrown away with the carcase when the tables are cleared after the class-meeting. A recurrent item of expense in working the class is avoided by dispensing with the bulldog clip."
Etymology
Possibly a reference to the tenacity of a bulldog’s bite. Regarding sense 1 (“binder clip with rigid handles”), Bulldog was originally a trademark registered to Brandsley Limited in the United Kingdom in 1944.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈbʊlˌdɔɡ ˈklɪp/
- British English: /ˈbʊldɒɡ ˈklɪp/