Clipper

Taeping (clipper, 1863) - SLV H91.325-1033

Clipper barque Spirit of the Age, PY0633

Sovereignoftheseasdockedphoto

Hornetclippership

The Composite Construction - 322

Clipper may refer to several concepts, entities, or objects across various fields and disciplines. This article aims to provide an overview of the most notable uses of the term "Clipper."

Types of Clippers

Sailing Ships

The term Clipper is perhaps most famously associated with a type of fast sailing ship primarily used in the 19th century. Clippers were designed for speed, featuring a narrow hull, a large total sail area, and a square rig. They were primarily used for transporting goods quickly over long distances, including tea from China, spices from the East Indies, and gold from California and Australia. The Cutty Sark and the Flying Cloud are among the most renowned examples of clipper ships.

Hair Clippers

In the realm of personal grooming, a Hair Clipper is a device used to cut human head hair. They work on the principle of a pair of scissors, but are distinct from hair trimmers, which are used for finer or shorter hair. Clippers can be manual or electric, with the latter being more common in modern times. Hair clippers are widely used in barbershops and salons for achieving various hairstyles.

Electronic Clippers

In electronics, a Clipper is a device designed to prevent the output of a circuit from exceeding a certain level without distorting the remaining part of the applied waveform. They are used in various electronic circuits for protecting sensitive components from voltage spikes.

Other Uses

The term "Clipper" can also refer to:

• Clipper, a computer programming language developed in the early 1980s as a compiler for dBase III, a widely used database language at the time. Clipper was used to create database applications.
• Clipper card, a reloadable contactless smart card used for electronic payment in the San Francisco Bay Area's public transportation systems.
• Clipper algorithm, a computer graphics algorithm used for determining which parts of lines or polygons are visible within a rectangular viewport.

In Popular Culture

The mystique and historical significance of clipper ships have made them a popular subject in literature and film, symbolizing speed, adventure, and the era of sail.

See Also

• Sailing ship
• Barber
• Electronic circuit
• Computer programming
• Smart card

Topics referred to by the same term

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