to chip in

to chip in

Idiom: to chip in; used as a verb

First Example: Everyone chipped in five dollars to buy a birthday present for Yoko.

Meaning: to chip means to help pay for or do something. In this example, several people gave money to buy a birthday gift for Yoko. Sometimes we chip in money so that we can afford to buy one nice gift, instead of many inexpensive gifts. In a sentence, chip in is sometimes followed by the specific amount of money everyone pays.

Here is another example:

Second Example: All of Lisa’s coworkers chipped in to give her a wedding shower.

Meaning: In this case, Lisa’s coworkers all gave some money to have a party for her before her wedding. In American workplaces, we often chip in for gifts or parties for co-workers.

This idiom is from LSI's book "Reading Transitions," which is used in the Level 4 reading classes. For more information, please visit http://www.languagesystems.com/