Skip navigation.

chop - What does it mean?

Definition of 'chop'

English

Etymology 1

(etyl) choppen, variant of (only attested in compounds). More at (l).

Noun

(en-noun)
  • A cut of meat, often containing a section of a rib.
  • *1957 , :
  • *:I was standing at the meat counter, waiting for some rib lamb chops to be cut.
  • A blow with an axe, cleaver, or similar utensil.
  • (martial arts) A blow delivered with the hand rigid and outstretched.
  • Ocean waves, generally caused by wind, distinguished from swell by being smaller and not lasting as long.
  • (poker) A hand where two or more players have an equal-valued hand, resulting in the chips being shared equally between them.
  • Termination, especially from employment.
  • (dated) A crack or cleft; a chap.
    • Quotations
    * (seeCites)
    Synonyms
    * axe, pink slip, sack

    Verb

  • To cut into pieces with short, vigorous cutting motions.
    • chop wood
    chop an onion
  • To sever with an axe or similar implement.
    • Chop off his head.
  • (baseball) To hit the ball downward so that it takes a high bounce.
  • (poker) To divide the pot (or tournament prize) between two or more players.
  • To do something suddenly with an unexpected motion; to catch or attempt to seize.
  • * L'Estrange
    • Out of greediness to get both, he chops at the shadow, and loses the substance.
  • To interrupt; with in'' or ''out .
  • * Latimer
    • This fellow interrupted the sermon, even suddenly chopping in.

    Derived terms

    * chop chop * chopper * chopping board (rel-mid3) * chop logic * chops * chopstick (rel-mid3) * choppy * karate chop * try out one's own chops (rel-bottom)

    Etymology 2

    Of uncertain origin, perhaps a variant of (chap).

    Verb

  • (obsolete) To exchange, to barter; to swap.
  • * 1644 , (John Milton), Aeropagitica :
    • this is not to put down Prelaty, this is but to chop an Episcopacy; this is but to translate the Palace Metropolitan'' from one kind of dominion into another, this is but an old canonicall sleight of ''commuting our penance.
  • * L'Estrange
    • We go on chopping and changing our friends.
  • To chap or crack.
  • (nautical) To vary or shift suddenly.
    • The wind chops about.
  • To wrangle; to altercate; to bandy words.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • Let not the counsel at the bar chop with the judge.

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • (mostly|in the plural) A jaw of an animal.
  • A movable jaw or cheek, as of a vice.
  • The land at each side of the mouth of a river, harbour, or channel.
    • East Chop'''; West '''Chop
  • A change; a vicissitude.
    • (Marryat)

    Etymology 3

    (etyl)

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • An official stamp or seal.
  • Mark indicating nature, quality, or brand.
    • silk of the first chop
    Derived terms
    * chop dollar * chop of tea * grand chop

    Etymology 4

    Shortening.

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • (internet) An IRC channel operator.
  • * 1996 , Peter Ludlow, High Noon on the Electronic Frontier (page 404)
    • IRC supports mechanisms for the enforcement of acceptable behaviour on IRC. Channel operators — "chanops" or "chops " — have access to the /kick command, which throws a specified user out of the given channel.
    Synonyms
    * chanop * op ----

    Similar to 'chop'

    cheap, cop, cup, chip, chap, cap, cheep, coup, coop, cep, caup