chopboat en · NOUN
Etymology
From chop (“stamp, mark of quality, license”) + boat.
Meanings
-
(historical, in China) A licensed lighter (watercraft) employed in the transportation of goods to and from larger vessels.
In taking in cargo, the receiving officer should not be interrupted, for he has need of all his carefulness to see that the coolies in the chopboat do not slily pass up a chest with two tallies stuck in it, or slip a package off sideways from the board
1856, Samuel Wells Williams, A Chinese Commercial Guide:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| chopboats | Number=Plur | lexicographic |