chip at vs chip

chip at is not a noun while chip is a noun.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
chip at	No	No	Yes	No
chip	Yes	No	Yes	No

chip at (noun)	chip (noun)
	the act of chipping something
	(golf) a low running approach shot
	electronic equipment consisting of a small crystal of a silicon semiconductor fabricated to carry out a number of electronic functions in an integrated circuit
	a small disk-shaped counter used to represent money when gambling
	a triangular wooden float attached to the end of a log line
	a mark left after a small piece has been chopped or broken off of something
	a thin crisp slice of potato fried in deep fat
	a small fragment of something broken off from the whole
	a piece of dried bovine dung

chip at (verb)	chip (verb)
engrave or cut by chipping away at a surface	break a small piece off from
	break off (a piece from a whole)
	form by chipping
	cut a nick into
	play a chip shot