clipper

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

clipper
    n 1: (electronics) a nonlinear electronic circuit whose output
         is limited in amplitude; used to limit the instantaneous
         amplitude of a waveform (to clip off the peaks of a
         waveform); "a limiter introduces amplitude distortion"
         [syn: {limiter}, {clipper}]
    2: a fast sailing ship used in former times [syn: {clipper},
       {clipper ship}]
    3: shears for cutting grass or shrubbery (often used in the
       plural)
    4: scissors for cutting hair or finger nails (often used in the
       plural)

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Clipper \Clip"per\ (kl[i^]p"p[~e]r), n.
   1. One who clips; specifically, one who clips off the edges
      of coins.
      [1913 Webster]

            The value is pared off from it into the clipper's
            pocket.                               --Locke.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. A machine for clipping hair, esp. the hair of horses.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. (Naut.) A vessel with a sharp bow, built with a fast hull
      and tall sails, rigged for fast sailing, and used in trade
      where the cargo capacity was less important than the
      speed; -- called also {clipper ship}. --
      {Clip"per-built`}, a.
      [1913 Webster]

   Note: The name was first borne by "Baltimore clippers" famous
         as privateers in the early wars of the United States.
         [1913 Webster]

   4. (Electronics) a circuit that limits the amplitude of a
      waveform.

   Syn: limiter.
        [WordNet 1.5]

   {Yankee Clipper},
      (a) a clipper ship built in the United States. See
          clipper[3].
      (b) Joe DiMaggio; -- a nickname for the player who was a
          prominent member of the New York Yankees baseball team
          in the 1940's.
          [PJC]

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)

Clipper

   1. <hardware, cryptography> An {integrated circuit} which
   implements the {SkipJack} {algorithm}.  The Clipper is
   manufactured by the US government to encrypt telephone data.
   It has the added feature that it can be decrypted by the US
   government, which has tried to make the chip compulsory in the
   United States.  Phil Zimmerman (inventor of {PGP}) remarked,
   "This doesn't even pass the sniff test" (i.e. it stinks).

   (http://wired.com/clipper/).

   news:alt.privacy.clipper

   2. A compiled {dBASE} dialect from Nantucket Corp, LA.
   Versions: Winter 85, Spring 86, Autumn 86, Summer 87, 4.5
   (Japanese Kanji), 5.0.  It uses the {Xbase} programming
   language.

   (2004-09-01)