Noun & Verb. (Click on the speech icon to hear the pronunciation of the word \kwip\
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A witty saying
A witty remark
To make jokes or speak humorously
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Synonyms:
o Witticism, Epigram, Wisecrack; To jest
A quip — a short, witty comment — can be pleasant, wise, or sarcastic, but
usually carries an element of humor.
A quip, often taken as a sign of cleverness, is a witty remark that sounds spur-of-the-moment. A
successful quip must sound offhand, as though it were an afterthought, even if the speaker has been
honing the statement for days.
Other forms: quip, quipping, quips, quipped
Usage:
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Dorothy Parker was a famous writer known for her quick quips, such as, "The best way to keep
children home is to make the home atmosphere pleasant — and let the air out of the tires."
“’In one of Oscar Wilde's comedies, a character tosses off the typically Wildean quip,
`Divorces are made in heaven.’”
The commentators make endless quips about the players' appearance.
"I want oil derivatives in my gas tank, not my drinking glass," people will predictably
quip.
“After all, he manages to ruin the dramatic tension of every action movie he's in by
making some daffy quip at just the wrong moment.”
She rolled her eyes at her brother's bragging and quipped, “You're a legend in your own mind,
all right”
At the hospital, we asked him why he was so relaxed and he quipped, "It's the drugs."
I believe it was Oscar Wilde who made the famous quip about life mimicking art.
The late night talk show host was known for his funny quips.
DIRECTIONS: Discuss the meaning of the word with your students, with special emphasis on any variations
or nuances of the word specific to your discipline. Consider taking it a step further by using one or all of the
following ideas as you involve students with the new vocabulary. Remember to preview all content you
intend to share with students. Not all items on the lists provided below are appropriate for all
classes or age levels.
#1 Read the last four paragraphs in this article from 6 March 2012 in the Entertainment section of
The Seattle Times: “'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' Composer Dies.”
#2 I don’t know if this product is real or not, but students
might like to think of quips to print on adhesive bandages.
What do parents say as they are putting one on a child?
#3 Jim Gaffigan, a comedian, delivers a series of quips in this short performance of 2:32 minutes.
He talks about reading the book vs. watching the movie and drinking
bottled water.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2mdFB7UTqc
More > > >
#4 See this website for hundreds of Quips and One-Liners. For example:
Math:
o My math book recently saw a psychiatrist -- it kept complaining that it had too many
problems. (Sent in by Chris Newton, Thales Academy)
o Five out of four people have trouble with fractions.
o Half of Americans can't do math, and the other two-thirds don't care.
 Science:
o If there is an equal and opposite reaction, then wouldn't all the people who hit the
sack go to sleep with black eyes? (Sent in by Chris Newton, Thales Academy)
o So, what is the speed of dark?
o Do radioactive cats have 18 half-lives?
o How long a minute is depends on which side of the bathroom door you are on. (ode
to Einstein)
o Support bacteria. They're the only culture some people have.
 English/Theater:
o All the world is a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed.
o I chose the path less traveled by, but only because I was lost. (ode to Frost)
 Economics:
o An economist is a person who states the obvious in terms of the incomprehensible.
 Civics:
o The best things in life are free, but unfortunately that's not the way the law sees it.
o If "con" is the opposite of "pro", then Congress is the opposite of progress.
 Art:
o If you think of a color that does not exist, is it a pigment of your imagination?
http://wordplay.donhmorris.com/quips.html
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#5 iTunes has an app called Quip. Quip is a modern
word processor that enables you to create beautiful
documents on any device, including the iPad, iPhone,
and the desktop. It combines documents and messages
into a single chat-like “thread” of updates — making
collaboration easy. Discuss with your students (or have
them do a quick Write to Learn strategy) the definition
of quip, what this app does, and why its creators
decided to call it Quip. https://quip.com/