chop

chop¹ [tʃɔp US tʃa:p] v past tense and past participle chopped present participle chopping [T]

[Date: 1300-1400; Origin: Perhaps from chap; CHAPPED]

1.) also chop up

to cut something into smaller pieces

▪ He went outside to chop some more wood for the fire.

▪ Can you chop up some carrots for me?

▪ Add two finely chopped onions and a clove of garlic.

chop sth into pieces/chunks etc

▪ Chop the meat into small cubes.

2.) informal to reduce an amount of money by a large amount

▪ He suddenly found that his income had been chopped in half.

3.) chop and change

BrE informal to keep changing your mind

▪ You can't keep chopping and changing like this!

chop at [chop at sth] phr v

to hit something with a sharp tool in order to cut it

▪ They chopped at the bushes with their knives.

chop down [chop sth<=>down] phr v

to make a tree fall down by cutting it with a sharp tool

▪ A couple of the older trees will have to be chopped down.

▪ Large areas of rainforest are being chopped down every day.

chop off [chop sth<=>off] phr v

to remove something by cutting it with a sharp tool

▪ The branch had been chopped off.

chop ²

chop² n

1.) a small piece of meat on a bone, usually cut from a sheep or pig

→↑steak

▪ a grilled pork chop

▪ a lamb chop

2.) the chopBrE

a) if you get or are given the chop, you lose your job

▪ Six more staff got the chop last week.

▪ He was worried that he might be for the chop (=lose his job) .

b) if something gets or is given the chop, it is closed or stopped because people do not want to pay for it any more

▪ We were worried the project might get the chop.

▪ Several other factories might now be for the chop (=likely to be closed or stopped) .

3.) a hard downward movement that you make with your hand

▪ a karate chop

4.) the act of hitting something with a sharp tool in order to cut it

▪ With one last chop he split the log in two.

5.) chops [plural] informal

the lower part of the face of a person or animal - used humorously

▪ Jack was grinning all over his chops.