Chop — Defs

01 v. t. To cut by striking repeatedly with a sharp instrument; to cut into pieces; to mince; -- often with up.

imp. & p. p. Chopped; p. pr. & vb. n. Chopping

1.
To cut by striking repeatedly with a sharp instrument; to cut into pieces; to mince; -- often with up.
2.
To sever or separate by one more blows of a sharp instrument; to divide; -- usually with off or down.
“Chop off your hand, and it to the king.” — Shak.
3.
To seize or devour greedily; -- with up.[Obs.]
“Upon the opening of his mouth he drops his breakfast, which the fox presently chopped up.” — L'estrange.

02 v. i. To make a quick strike, or repeated strokes, with an ax or other sharp instrument.

1.
To make a quick strike, or repeated strokes, with an ax or other sharp instrument.
2.
To do something suddenly with an unexpected motion; to catch or attempt to seize.
“Out of greediness to get both, he chops at the shadow, and loses the substance.” — L'Estrange.
3.
To interrupt; -- with in or out.
“This fellow interrupted the sermon, even suddenly chopping in.” — Latimer.

03 v. t. To barter or truck.

1.
To barter or truck.
2.
To exchange; substitute one thing for another.
“We go on chopping and changing our friends.” — L'Estrange.

Phrases & compounds

To chop logic — to dispute with an affected use of logical terms; to argue sophistically.

04 v. i. To purchase by way of truck.

1.
To purchase by way of truck.
2.
To vary or shift suddenly; as, the wind chops about.(Naut.)
3.
To wrangle; to altercate; to bandy words.
“Let not the counsel at the bar chop with the judge.” — Bacon.

05 n. A change; a vicissitude.

06 v. t. & i. To crack. See Chap, v. t. & i.

07 n. The act of chopping; a stroke.

1.
The act of chopping; a stroke.
2.
A piece chopped off; a slice or small piece, especially of meat; as, a mutton chop.
3.
A crack or cleft. See Chap. See: Chap

08 n. A jaw of an animal; -- commonly in the pl. See Chops.

1.
A jaw of an animal; -- commonly in the pl. See Chops. See: Chops
2.
A movable jaw or cheek, as of a wooden vise.
3.
The land at each side of the mouth of a river, harbor, or channel; as, East Chop or West Chop. See Chops. See: Chops

09 n. Quality; brand; as, silk of the first chop.

Phrases & compounds

Chop dollar — a silver dollar stamped to attest its purity.

chop of tea — a number of boxes of the same make and quality of leaf.

Chowchow chop — See under Chowchow.

Grand chop — a ship's port clearance.