a common stock of a nationally known company whose value and dividends are reliable; typically have high price and low yield; "blue chips are usually safe investments"
a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose; "my invaluable assistant"; "they hired additional help to finish the work"
an adviser to the court on some matter of law who is not a party to the case; usually someone who wants to influence the outcome of a lawsuit involving matters of wide public interest
any one of a number of individual efforts in a common endeavor; "I am proud of my contribution to the team's success"; "they all did their share of the work"
act of giving in common with others for a common purpose especially to a charity
a writing for publication especially one of a collection of writings as an article or story
an amount of money contributed; "he expected his contribution to be repaid with interest"
a voluntary gift (as of money or service or ideas) made to some worthwhile cause
a former instrument of punishment consisting of a heavy timber frame with holes in which the feet (and sometimes the hands) of an offender could be locked
a frame for constraining an animal while it is receiving veterinary attention or while being shod
a frame that supports a boat while it is under construction
(computer science) a copy of a file or directory on a separate storage device; "he made a backup in case the original was accidentally damaged or erased"
an accumulation caused by clogging or a stoppage; "a traffic backup on the main street"; "he discovered a backup in the toilet"