From Middle English choppen, chappen (“to chop”), of uncertain origin, possibly onomatopoeic (cf. Swedish tjoff), or a variant of chap (“to become cracked”).
Cognate with Scots chap (“to chop”). Compare also Saterland Frisian kappe, kapje (“to hack; chop; lop off”), Dutch kappen (“to chop, cut, hew”), German Low German kappen (“to cut off; clip”), German kappen (“to cut; clip”), German dialectal chapfen, kchapfen (“to chop into small pieces”), Albanian copë (“piece, chunk”), Old English *ċippian (in forċippian (“to cut off”)). Perhaps related to chip.
Compare French couper (“to chop”), Ancient Greek κόπτω (kóptō, “to strike, cut”), Swedish and Norwegian kapa, kappa, kabba (“to chop/cut (off)”).
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) A cut of meat, often containing a section of a rib.
I only like lamb chops with mint jelly.
I was standing at the meat counter, waiting for some rib lamb chops to be cut. 1957, J. D. Salinger, “Zooey”, in Franny and Zooey, published 1961:
Of the two fried chops served him for breakfast he ate one and gave Edmund the other, and put a buttered sandwich of bread in his pocket against the accidents of travel. 1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 18:
(countable, uncountable) A blow with an axe, cleaver, or similar implement.
It should take just one good chop to fell the sapling.
(countable, uncountable) A blow delivered with the hand rigid and outstretched.
A karate chop.
(countable, uncountable) Ocean waves, generally caused by wind, distinguished from swell by being smaller and not lasting as long.
(countable, uncountable) A hand where two or more players have an equal-valued hand, resulting in the chips being shared equally between them.
With both players having an ace-high straight, the pot was a chop.
(countable, informal, uncountable, with-definite-article) Termination, especially from employment; the sack.
(Australia, New-Zealand, countable, uncountable) A woodchopping competition.
E, C. McsEnulty, who won the chop at the show on Thursday, cut through a foot lying block in 34 seconds[.] 1924 October 6, The Examiner, Launceston, page 2, column 6:
(countable, dated, uncountable) A crack or cleft; a chap.
(uncountable) Aircraft turbulence.
(UK, countable, slang, uncountable) Cocaine.
(Multicultural-London-English, countable, slang, uncountable) A knife, especially one used as a weapon.
It's peak when the mandem spotty
I gonna need more than a dot-dot
Capisce, got a problem for swinging this chop? 2025 May 1, SH, “Intro” (2:20 from the start):
gl tallada (blow with an axe or similar utensil) · pl bitka (cut of meat) · sv kotlett (cut of meat) · ko 토막 (cut of meat) · es tajada (cut of meat) · it taglio (cut of meat) · vi lát (cut of meat) · fi aallokko (ocean waves) · nn kotelett (cut of meat) · rif taɣezdist (cut of meat) · ca llonza (cut of meat) · el μπριζόλα (cut of meat) · pl kotlet (cut of meat) · ca costella (cut of meat) · sq copë (cut of meat) · bg сечащ удар (blow with an axe or similar utensil) · nl karbonade (cut of meat) · el απόλυση (dismissal, especially from employment) · ru отбивная (cut of meat) · de Schlag (martial arts: type of blow) · sq çare (blow with an axe or similar utensil) · it colpo d'ascia (blow with an axe or similar utensil) · el παϊδάκι (cut of meat) · pt posta (cut of meat) · eu txuleta (cut of meat) · hy չալաղաջ (cut of meat) · el χτύπημα (blow with an axe or similar utensil) · sv hugg (blow with an axe or similar utensil) · eo hako (blow with an axe or similar utensil) · eo kotleto (cut of meat) · nrf côtelette (cut of meat) · nb kotelett (cut of meat) · af tjop (cut of meat) · fi potkut (dismissal, especially from employment) · fi isku (blow with an axe or similar utensil) · sv svallvåg (ocean waves) · af kap (blow with an axe or similar utensil) · it braciola (cut of meat) · bg уволнение (dismissal, especially from employment) · el τσεκουριά (blow with an axe or similar utensil) · ko 토막고기 (cut of meat) · it alla pari (poker: result of a tied poker hand) · ja コートレット (cut of meat) · it costoletta (cut of meat) · fi kyljys (cut of meat) · es tajo (blow with an axe or similar utensil) · cmn 排骨 (cut of meat) · it colpo (blow with an axe or similar utensil) · ro cotlet (cut of meat) · sv slag (martial arts: type of blow) · la praecīsum (cut of meat) · ja チョップ (cut of meat) · sq bri (cut of meat) · fr atemi (martial arts: type of blow) · pt corte (cut of meat) · bg котлет (cut of meat) · it licenziamento (dismissal, especially from employment) · ltg škaļdeit (blow with an axe or similar utensil) · mi motonga (martial arts: type of blow) · de Hieb (blow with an axe or similar utensil) · bg пържола (cut of meat) · da kotelet (cut of meat) · el κοψίδι (cut of meat) · gl costeleta (cut of meat) · de Kotelett (cut of meat) · fr égalité (poker: result of a tied poker hand) · pt talhada (blow with an axe or similar utensil) · lv skaldīt (blow with an axe or similar utensil) · es chuleta (cut of meat) · fr côtelette (cut of meat) · de Rippchen (cut of meat) · it costata (cut of meat)
From Middle English choppen, chappen (“to chop”), of uncertain origin, possibly onomatopoeic (cf. Swedish tjoff), or a variant of chap (“to become cracked”).
Cognate with Scots chap (“to chop”). Compare also Saterland Frisian kappe, kapje (“to hack; chop; lop off”), Dutch kappen (“to chop, cut, hew”), German Low German kappen (“to cut off; clip”), German kappen (“to cut; clip”), German dialectal chapfen, kchapfen (“to chop into small pieces”), Albanian copë (“piece, chunk”), Old English *ċippian (in forċippian (“to cut off”)). Perhaps related to chip.
Compare French couper (“to chop”), Ancient Greek κόπτω (kóptō, “to strike, cut”), Swedish and Norwegian kapa, kappa, kabba (“to chop/cut (off)”).
Meanings
(transitive) To cut into pieces with short, vigorous cutting motions.
chop wood; chop an onion
(transitive) To sever with an axe or similar implement.
Chop off his head.
(figuratively, transitive) To separate or divide.
We should chop off some of that department's budget.
(transitive) to give a downward cutting blow or movement, typically with the side of the hand.
(transitive) To hit the ball downward so that it takes a high bounce.
To divide the pot (or tournament prize) between two or more players.
(intransitive) To make a quick, heavy stroke or a series of strokes, with or as with an ax.
(intransitive) To do something suddenly with an unexpected motion; to catch or attempt to seize.
Out of a Greediness to get both, he Chops at the Shadow, and Loses the Substance. 1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLC:
(intransitive) To interrupt; with in or out.
This fellow […]interrupted the sermon, even suddenly chopping in. 1550, Hugh Latimer, Sermon Preached before King Edward:
(Hong-Kong, transitive) To stab.
A man had chopped a Sanitary Department coolie to death after an argument about money, Supreme Court was told today. 1959 June 8, China Mail, page 10:
(transitive) To remove the final character from (a text string).
(slang, transitive) To manipulate or separate out a line of cocaine.
He chopped out a fat line.
(slang, transitive) To have sex with.
One of my bredrins is saying, what's the oldest ting he can chop?
mutton chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · photochop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chopper (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chop cup (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chopette (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · wind chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · lambchop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · get the chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · try out one's own chops (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · stop and chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · French chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · bust chops (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · confirm plus chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chop logic (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · Chelsea chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chop and drop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · choplet (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chop-logic (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · choppable (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · greenchop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chop house (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chopped liver (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · mutton-chop whiskers (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · woodchop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · walleye chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · karate chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · choppy (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chops (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · reverse chops (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · small chops (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chop shop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chop chord (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · first-chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · choplogic (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chop out (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chop mill (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · choppin' (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chopping block (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · big chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chopped-nose (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · fin chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · muttonchop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · wood chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chop and chat (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chop onions (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chump chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · tomahawk chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · Saratoga chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · pork chop island (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chop it up (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chop-shop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chopstick (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · prechop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · for the chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · binary chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · choplike (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chop off (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · Baltimore chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · throttle chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · pork chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chop down (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chophouse (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chop up (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chop-chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · judo chop (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chopped and screwed (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chopping board (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1) · chopsocky (Terms derived from the noun or verb chop, Etymology 1)
Translations (107)
el λιανίζω (to cut into pieces) · sq copto (to cut into pieces) · eo haki (to cut into pieces) · el κόβω (to sever with an axe or similar) · bg сека (to cut into pieces) · zdj urema (to cut into pieces) · pt decepar (to cut into pieces) · udm кораны (to cut into pieces) · txb kaut- (to cut into pieces) · ltg škaļdeit (to cut into pieces) · yue 斬 /斩 (to cut into pieces) · my တုံး (to cut into pieces) · de abhacken (to cut into pieces) · pl pokroić (to cut into pieces) · lb hachéieren (to cut into pieces) · mi tokitoki (to cut into pieces) · fi paloitella (to cut into pieces) · nn hogga (to cut into pieces) · hu darabol (to cut into pieces) · eo haketi (to cut into pieces) · el τέμνω (to sever with an axe or similar) · fi hakata (to cut into pieces) · pt talhar (to sever with an axe or similar) · ba сабыу (poker: to chop into small pieces with bigger tools like Dao or machete) · fr découper (to cut into pieces) · sq copto (poker: to chop into small pieces with bigger tools like Dao or machete) · izh pilkkoa (to cut into pieces) · ko 썰다 (to cut into pieces) · as কুটা (to cut into pieces) · nl hakken (to sever with an axe or similar) · ta நறுக்கு (to cut into pieces) · de hacken (to cut into pieces) · az çapmaq (to cut into pieces) · es tajar (to cut into pieces) · tyz hẳm (to cut into pieces) · tet taa (to cut into pieces) · ka ჩეხა (to sever with an axe or similar) · lv skaldīt (to cut into pieces) · ln kete (to cut into pieces) · es picar (to cut into pieces) · dsb rubaś (to cut into pieces) · hu felvág (to cut into pieces) · de schlagen (to cut into pieces) · tyz bác (to cut into pieces) · fr hacher (to cut into pieces) · cmn 砍斷 /砍断 (to cut into pieces) · de zerhacken (to cut into pieces) · eo haki (to sever with an axe or similar) · ro toca (to cut into pieces) · el πελεκώ (to cut into pieces) · as থাহা (to cut into pieces) · ba турау (to cut into pieces) · pl kroić (to cut into pieces) · pl ucinać (to sever with an axe or similar) · gl picar (to cut into pieces) · vi chém (to cut into pieces) · hu aprít (to cut into pieces) · gl tallar (to sever with an axe or similar) · fo høgga (to sever with an axe or similar) · pl siekać (to cut into pieces) · txb kaut- (to sever with an axe or similar) · izh hakata (to cut into pieces) · vi chặt (to cut into pieces) · it tagliare (to cut into pieces) · da hugge (to sever with an axe or similar) · vi chém (to sever with an axe or similar) · vi chặt (to sever with an axe or similar) · kix tàp (poker: to chop into small pieces with bigger tools like Dao or machete) · es trocear (to cut into pieces) · bg накълцвам (to cut into pieces) · cmn 砍 (to cut into pieces) · ota طوغرامق (to cut into pieces) · as কঁচা (to cut into pieces) · cmn 砍斷 /砍断 (to sever with an axe or similar) · izh leikata (to cut into pieces) · zro achichanu (to cut into pieces) · tl hapakin (to cut into pieces) · pl uciąć (to sever with an axe or similar) · az xırdalamaq (to cut into pieces) · fr découper (to sever with an axe or similar) · as থহা (to cut into pieces) · ko 베다 (to sever with an axe or similar) · pt picar (to cut into pieces) · fwe têmà (to cut into pieces) · bg отсичам (to cut into pieces) · nn hogga av (to sever with an axe or similar) · el τεμαχίζω (to cut into pieces) · fa خرد کردن (to cut into pieces) · da hakke (to cut into pieces) · tyz bác (to sever with an axe or similar) · fur taiâ (to cut into pieces) · es tronzar (to cut into pieces) · fi pilkkoa (to cut into pieces) · chr ᎦᎷᏯᏍᎦ (to cut into pieces) · ka ჩეხა (to cut into pieces) · de abhacken (to sever with an axe or similar) · mi tuatua (to cut into pieces) · fr couper (to cut into pieces) · tyz hẳm (to sever with an axe or similar) · es retacear (to cut into pieces) · az doğramaq (to cut into pieces) · es retazar (to cut into pieces) · sq ça (to give a downward cutting blow or movement, typically with the side of the hand.) · fi hakata (irti) (to sever with an axe or similar) · kix tàp (to cut into pieces) · bg цепя (to cut into pieces) · mi tokitoki (to sever with an axe or similar)
Uncertain, perhaps a variant of chap (“cheap”). Compare Middle English copen (“to buy”), Dutch kopen (“to buy”).
Meanings
(obsolete) To exchange, to barter; to swap.
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. 1644, John Milton, Areopagitica:
To chap or crack.
To vary or shift suddenly.
The wind chops about.
(obsolete) To twist words.
Let not the counsel at the bar chop with the judge. 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Judicature”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
From Middle English choppe (“jaw, jawbone”), related to Middle English cheppe (“one side of the jaw, chap”). Perhaps ultimately related to Etymology 1 above.
Meanings
(in-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.
Borrowed from Hindi छाप (chāp, “stamp”). Closely related to the similarly descended Malay word cap, which likely reinforced the English usage within the Malay world.
Meanings
(Brunei, Hong-Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore, colloquial) A stamp or seal; a mark, imprint or impression on a document (or other object or material) made by stamping or sealing a design with ink or wax, respectively, or by other methods.
(Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, broadly, colloquial) The device used for stamping or sealing, which also contains the design to be imprinted.
Borrowed from Hindi छाप (chāp, “stamp”). Closely related to the similarly descended Malay word cap, which likely reinforced the English usage within the Malay world.
Meanings
(Brunei, Hong-Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore, colloquial, transitive) To stamp or seal (a document); to mark, impress or otherwise place a design or symbol on paper or other material, usually, but not necessarily, to indicate authenticity.
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. 1996, Peter Ludlow, High Noon on the Electronic Frontier, page 404: