bulldog clip

A bulldog clip (sense 1) used to hold pieces of paper together

Surgical bulldog clips (sense 2)

Possibly a reference to the tenacity of a bulldog’s bite. Regarding sense 1 (“binder clip with rigid handles”), Bulldog was originally a trademark registered to Brandsley Limited in the United Kingdom in 1944.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈbʊldɒɡ ˈklɪp/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈbʊlˌdɔɡ ˈklɪp/

• Audio (GA)

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• Audio (AU)

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• Rhymes: -ɪp
• Hyphenation: bull‧dog clip

bulldog clip (plural bulldog clips)

1. A binder clip with rigid handles.
   • 1996, Marcia Foley, Jan Janikoun, The Really Practical Guide to Primary Geography (Really Practical Guides), 2nd edition, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: Stanley Thornes, published 2002, →ISBN, page 83:

     We need to remind children that magnetic compasses will be deflected from the north reading if near metal – for example a car, a metal bulldog clip on a clipboard, or a metal bar under a table.

   • 2000, “The Properties of Materials and Their Everyday Uses”, in Colin Osborne, Maria Pack, editors, compiled by Jan Rees, That’s Chemistry!: A Resource for Primary School Teachers about Materials and Their Properties, London: Royal Society of Chemistry, →ISBN, part A (Grouping and Classifying Materials), page 15:

     If weight carriers are not available use a strong bulldog clip with a pot attached to it by thread going through the hole. Clip this to the sheet of paper and gradually add weights to the pot. The bulldog clip sometimes slips off the paper, so wrap the end of the paper around a pencil and the bulldog clip will grip this.

   • 2001, John le Carré [pseudonym; David John Moore Cornwell], The Constant Gardener, London: Hodder & Stoughton, →ISBN; republished New York, N.Y.: Scribner, 2005, →ISBN, page 57:

     A twist of ribbon, a wine cork, a bunch of diplomats' calling cards held together with a bulldog clip.

   • 2001, Grant Privett, Paul Parsons, “Deep-sky Observing”, in The Deep-sky Observer’s Year: A Guide to Observing Deep-sky Objects throughout the Year (Patrick Moore’s Practical Astronomy Series), London, Berlin: Springer Verlag, →ISBN, →ISSN, part I (Preparing for Deep-sky Observing), page 35:

     Sketching galaxies and nebulae at the eyepiece, in low light levels, is no easy matter. A small torch can be used but that leaves one less hand free, so it's quite common to use a stiff plywood or plastic board to fasten the paper and light to – possibly with bulldog clips or clothes pegs.

2. (surgery) A surgical instrument with serrated jaws and a spring-loaded handle used to grip blood vessels or similar organs.
   • 1886, Harrison Cripps, “TRANSFUSION”, in Christopher Heath, editor, Dictionary of Practical Surgery […], volumes II (Macroglossia–Zygoma), London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC, page 660, column 1:

     When filled, a bulldog clip-forceps on the india-rubber tube, close to the canula, will prevent the escape of the water on transferring the syringe to position.

   • 1919, C[harles] S[cott] Sherrington, “Appendix”, in Mammalian Physiology: A Course of Practical Exercises, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press; Humphrey Milford, →OCLC, page 142:

     Objections to the bulldog clip are that, in students' hands at least, it is more likely to do damage and lead to clotting than is the thread-loop, and that, on account of its small size and liability to be left by the student in the wound, it is apt to be lost, e.g. thrown away with the carcase when the tables are cleared after the class-meeting. A recurrent item of expense in working the class is avoided by dispensing with the bulldog clip.

   • 1938, Corneille Heymans, “Blood Vessel Anastomosis with Payr Cannulae and without Anticoagulant, in Acute Experiments”, in Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine, volume 38, New York, N.Y.: Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 416:

     The ligated vessel is pulled through the cannula and a bulldog clip is placed below the ligature.

   • 2017, Mark Halls, David Martinez-Cecilia, Salvatore Barbaro, Mohammad Abu Hilal, “Laparoscopic Left Lateral Sectionectomy”, in Miguel A. Cuesta, editor, Minimally Invasive Surgery for Upper Abdominal Cancer, Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature, →DOI, →ISBN, part V (Liver Tumors), page 310, column 1:

     A bulldog clip can be placed on the artery to produce temporary exclusion when an assessment of the anatomy and ischemic line is needed.

• binder clip

• alligator clip

• “bulldog clip”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

• bulldog clip on Wikipedia.Wikipedia