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chop¹

(chŏp)

v. chopped, chop·ping, chops

v.tr.

a. To cut by striking with a heavy sharp tool, such as an axe: chop wood.

b. To shape or form by chopping: chop a hole in the ice.

c. To cut into small pieces: chop onions and carrots; chop up meat.

d. To reduce abruptly or by a large amount: chopped off his sentence midway; are going to chop expenses.

2. Sports To hit or swing at (a pitched ball) with a short downward stroke.

v.intr.

1. To make heavy, cutting strokes.

2. Archaic To move roughly or suddenly.

1. The act of chopping.

a. A swift, short, cutting blow or stroke.

b. Sports A short downward stroke.

3. A piece that has been chopped off, especially a cut of meat, usually taken from the rib, shoulder, or loin and containing a bone.

a. A short irregular motion of waves.

b. An area of choppy water, as on an ocean.

[Middle English choppen, probably variant of chappen, to split; see CHAP¹.]

chop³

(chŏp)

1. The official stamp or seal of a government, company, or individual, especially in China.

2. Quality; class: first chop.

[Hindi chāp, seal.]

chops

(chŏps)

pl.n.

1. The jaws.

a. The mouth.

b. The lower cheeks or jowls.

c. Muttonchops.

3. Slang The technical skill with which a jazz or rock musician performs.

Idiom:

bust (someone's) chops

1. To scold or insult someone.

2. To disappoint or defeat someone.

3. To hold a building contractor to the letter of an agreement.

[Possibly akin to CHOP¹. N. 3, originally in reference to the embouchure of trumpeters.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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