pass up like a white chip

verb

To reject or ignore; to treat as worthless.

First used early 20th c.
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Meanings

verbpass up like a white chip (third-person singular simple present passes up like a white chip, present participle passing up like a white chip, simple past and past participle passed up like a white chip)

present singular third person passes up like a white chip · participle present passing up like a white chip · participle past passed up like a white chip · past passed up like a white chip

  1. USobsoletetransitivesimileTo reject or ignore; to treat as worthless.First known use early 20th c.

    As for Elmer, we didn't even kid him any more—just passed him up like a white chip.

    1916 March 11, Charles E. Van Loan, “His Folks”, in Saturday Evening Post

Origin

In reference to white poker chips, which typically carried the lowest value. (Compare blue chip.)

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

pass up like a white chip. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pass%20up%20like%20a%20white%20chip

MLA

“pass up like a white chip.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pass%20up%20like%20a%20white%20chip. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pass up like a white chip,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pass%20up%20like%20a%20white%20chip.

Source: pass up like a white chip on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.