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Glite Dictionary
tie clip

tie clip

2 3.0
A small metal piece that holds a tie to a shirt to keep it in place
  • noun
  • /taɪ klɪp/
translation icon : clip de corbata
  • Wearing a stylish tie clip can enhance a man's overall appearance.
  • emerald tie clip

So every Tuesday I'm bringing him some sort of like tie clip or cufflinks or sunglasses or a gift card to Best Buy, whatever it is.

Examples

  • The tie clip he received as a gift perfectly matched his favorite suit.

  • He adjusted his tie clip to keep his tie looking neat during the meeting.

  • Another guest thinks it's his tie clip or a watch.

    Cypher (2002)

  • I must have that tie clip!

    Thank You for Smoking (2005)

  • It's a pity I'm not the type for gold tie clips.

    The Tingler (1959)

  • He wore a tie clip too, and not just any tie clip.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • We want men to be able to add character to their own look, just a touch of formality with a cravat or tie clip.

    Blog text (14)

  • That night at the New Year's Eve party, I remember he wore a tie clip with a small photograph of Jack Kennedy under gold mesh.

    Fiction book (1996)

Synonyms

clip
vstie clip
152 1.3

A small device that holds things together, like papers or hair

is a jewelry accessory meant specifically to secure a man's neckwear
tie tack
vstie clip
1 6.5

A small decorative pin that holds a tie to a shirt

is presented as a broader jewelry item rather than that particular fastener
tiepin
vstie clip
1 6.1

A small decorative pin that holds a tie to a shirt

is described more generally as jewelry rather than a specific fastener

How Secure

tie tack
1 6.5
tie clip
2 3.0

Surface Forms

tie clip singular
tie clips plural

Morphology

tie + clip

The meaning is directly compositional: 'tie' (a neckcloth) combined with 'clip' (a small fastening object) yields a clip used for a tie. This noun+noun compound follows a common, transparent formation that a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily infer.

Etymology

Tie clip is a literal name for a small metal clip that holds a tie to the front of a shirt so the tie does not move. That's why it means a small piece of jewelry used 'to fasten' a tie and 'to keep it in place'.