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bulldog clip

bulldog clip

1 2.9
A strong metal holder with a spring and flat ends for keeping papers together
  • noun
  • /ˈbʊlˌdɔɡ klɪp/
translation icon : clip bulldog
  • To keep the documents organized, she secured them with a bulldog clip at the top.

Examples

  • Remove the bulldog clips from the shade and lay the shade on the table with the fabric facing up.

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  • Remove the bulldog clips from the shade.

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  • Slip the front of the ring just inside the shade and use the bulldog clips to hold it in place.

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  • Attach the top middle of the shade to the top ring using a bulldog clip.

    Blog text (29)
  • Place a bulldog clip on the end to hold it in place as it dries.

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  • With the bottom of the shade against your body, work your way around, attaching the shade to the top ring with bulldog clips.

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  • Place a bulldog clip at the top and bottom of the connection and lay weights on top of the seam on the inside of the shade.

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  • Place a bulldog clip on the seam of the shade and place the back of the bottom ring on top of the clip to prevent it from falling into the shade.

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  • I used a bulldog clip to hold the papers together while I worked on my project.

  • He grabbed a bulldog clip from his desk to bind the stack of loose papers.

Synonyms

paper clip
vsbulldog clip
18 1.0

A small bent piece of wire or plastic that holds sheets of paper together

holds papers by clamping with a strong spring and flat jaws
paperclip
vsbulldog clip
6 1.0

A small bent piece of wire or plastic that holds sheets of paper together

relies on a firm spring and flat jaws for stronger holding
gem clip
vsbulldog clip
  • UK
3.2

A small metal or plastic piece that keeps sheets of paper together

uses a strong spring and flat jaws for a firmer grip
paper fastener
vsbulldog clip
2.4

A small object that holds sheets of paper together, like a clip

is one specific spring metal device among these

How Strong

clamp
92 3.3
staple
28 1.0
bulldog clip
1 2.9
binder
31 2.3
paperclip
6 1.0

Surface Forms

bulldog clip singular
bulldog clips plural

Morphology

bulldog + clip

The noun is compositionally a type of 'clip', so a B1 learner who knows 'clip' will infer it is a fastening device; the modifier 'bulldog' signals a particular robust shape or strength rather than a literal dog. However, the specific notion of a spring‑loaded metal clip with flat jaws is a conventionalized, partly metaphorical detail not fully predictable from the constituents alone, so the relation is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Bulldog clip gets its name from the clip's strong metal jaws that clamp down like a bulldog's bite. Because the clip grips paper tightly and will not let go, the name now means 'a strong metal clip that holds sheets of paper together'.