chop
chop — verb
- choppresent simple I / you / we / they
- chopshe / she / it
- choppedpast simple
- chopping-ing form
1. to use a knife, axe, or similar tool to cut something, especially food, wood, or
to use a knife, axe, or similar tool to cut something, especially food, wood, or other hard materials, into smaller pieces with a strong downward motion.
Yusuf chopped the onions while Leila heated oil in the pan.
transitive: chop + object (food item)
The firewood needs to be chopped before the first snow falls.
passive: be chopped (firewood/fuel)
Aiko chopped the carrots into small pieces for the evening stew.
chop + object + into + pieces/parts
The farmer chopped through the thick root with a sharp spade.
intransitive: chop through + object
After the storm, Ravi chopped the broken branches into smaller logs.
- chop finely
- chop roughly
- chop into pieces
- chop up
- chop down
- chop off
- chop through
Grammar Patterns
chop + object
chop + up/off/down + object
chop (intransitive) + at/through
Usage Note
Commonly paired with particles 'up' (chop up the vegetables), 'down' (chop down a tree), and 'off' (chop off a branch). The object is usually something hard or thick that requires force.
Common Mistakes
2. to unexpectedly remove or drastically reduce something such as funding, jobs, or
to unexpectedly remove or drastically reduce something such as funding, jobs, or services, often as a sudden cost-cutting measure in an organization.
The company chopped two hundred jobs after the merger fell through.
chop + jobs/positions
Government funding for the arts program was chopped last spring.
passive: funding/ budget + be chopped
The school board chopped several after-school activities to balance the budget.
chop + services/programs
The CEO warned that more positions would be chopped if sales did not improve.
- chop jobs
- chop funding
- chop services
- chop the budget
- get chopped
Grammar Patterns
be chopped
chop + object (funding/jobs/services)
Usage Note
Used almost exclusively in business and finance contexts. The subject is typically an organization (company, government, school board) making drastic cuts. The passive form (be/get chopped) is very common.
Common Mistakes
3. when playing cricket or baseball, to strike the ball using a quick bat movement
when playing cricket or baseball, to strike the ball using a quick bat movement aimed at the ground so that it bounces up from the pitch or field.
Bao chopped the ball straight into the pitch, and it spun past the fielder.
chop + ball + direction (sports context)
The batter chopped at a low fastball and sent it skipping across the dirt.
intransitive pattern: chop at + ball
A batsman might chop the ball toward the turf to avoid being caught out.
The shortstop chopped at the ground ball and threw the runner out at first.
baseball context: chop at + ground ball
- chop the ball
- chop at the ball
- chop down on the ball
Grammar Patterns
chop + the ball
Usage Note
A specialized sports term. In cricket, it describes a defensive shot; in baseball, it refers to a chopping swing that produces a high-bouncing ground ball.
chop up
phrasal verbto cut something, especially food, into very small pieces using a knife or other tool.
Nadia chopped up the bell peppers and added them to the wok.
Could you chop up some parsley to put on top of the pasta?
chop off
phrasal verbto remove something by cutting it with a sharp tool, especially with a single strong blow.
The gardener chopped off the dead rose branches with a pair of shears.
The sculptor carefully chopped off the extra stone from the block.
chop down
phrasal verbto make a tree or tall plant fall to the ground by cutting through its base with an axe or saw.
The workers chopped down the old oak tree that was blocking the road.
Villagers used to chop down small trees for firewood during the winter.
chop at
phrasal verbTo try to cut something by hitting it repeatedly with a sharp tool.
Maya chopped at the thick branch with her axe.
Why is he chopping at the ice with that knife?
chop and change
idiomto keep changing your opinions, plans, or what you are doing, often in an annoying or unpredictable way.
Rashida never sticks with one idea for long — she is always chopping and changing.
The manager kept chopping and changing the schedule, which confused the whole team.
get the chop
idiomto be dismissed from your job or to have something, such as a project or service, stopped suddenly.
Three senior editors got the chop when the magazine was sold.
The after-school music program got the chop due to budget cuts.
lick one's chops
idiomto show that you are eagerly looking forward to something enjoyable, especially food or an opportunity.
The children were licking their chops as the waiter brought out the cake.
Investors were licking their chops at the chance to buy the company shares.
chop — noun
- chopsingular
- chopsplural
1. a small, thick piece of meat, usually from a pig or sheep, that still has a flat
a small, thick piece of meat, usually from a pig or sheep, that still has a flat piece of bone attached to one side.
Rohan grilled two lamb chops on the barbecue for dinner.
lamb chop / pork chop — common compound nouns
The butcher wrapped the pork chops in brown paper for Priya to take home.
Hana served the chops with mashed potatoes and a side of green beans.
served + chop + with + side dish
The recipe calls for four veal chops seasoned with salt and rosemary.
- lamb chop
- pork chop
- veal chop
- grilled chops
- pan-fried chops
Usage Note
Often preceded by the animal name: lamb chop, pork chop, veal chop. A 'chop' is thicker than a 'cutlet' and always contains a bone.
Common Mistakes
2. a strong, downward cutting movement made with a knife, axe, or similar sharp too
a strong, downward cutting movement made with a knife, axe, or similar sharp tool.
With one clean chop of the axe, Diego split the log in half.
one + clean/single + chop + of + tool
The cook cut through the coconut shell with a single firm chop of the cleaver.
Priya brought the knife down in a sharp chop, splitting the squash open.
sharp chop — common adjective pairing
A few more chops and the thick branch came loose from the trunk.
- a single chop
- a clean chop
- a sharp chop
- one chop of the axe
Usage Note
Describes a single forceful action. Unlike the verb, this noun focuses on the blow itself rather than the cutting result.
3. a situation where someone is told they no longer have a job, either because they
a situation where someone is told they no longer have a job, either because they did something wrong or because the employer needs to reduce spending.
Tariq got the chop after the entire marketing department was restructured.
get the chop — fixed idiom for dismissal
Several factory managers faced the chop when the new owner took over.
face the chop — common collocation
The threat of the chop hung over everyone during the company merger.
Two managers were given the chop after the internal investigation ended.
be given the chop — passive form
- get the chop
- face the chop
- given the chop
Usage Note
Almost always used in the fixed phrases 'get the chop' or 'face the chop.' The definite article 'the' is required. Less common in formal writing.
Common Mistakes
4. the complete and often sudden ending of a business, school, factory, or planned
the complete and often sudden ending of a business, school, factory, or planned project.
The historic factory got the chop after fifty years of continuous operation.
get the chop — for organizations/projects
Plans for a new highway got the chop when the government changed hands.
Three rural schools face the chop because of falling student numbers.
face the chop — for public institutions
The proposed housing development got the chop after residents protested loudly.
- get the chop
- face the chop
- given the chop
- cancellation
more formal and neutral
- closure
standard formal term for ending an institution
- scrapping
informal, emphasizes the suddenness
Usage Note
Use the same fixed phrases as sense 3 ('get the chop' / 'face the chop'), but the subject is an organization or project rather than a person. Distinguish from sense 3 by context: a person gets the chop (loses job) vs. a plan/school gets the chop (is cancelled).
5. the lower part of a person's or animal's face, including the jaws, mouth, and ch
the lower part of a person's or animal's face, including the jaws, mouth, and cheeks.
The dog's chops were covered in mud after digging in the wet garden.
plural: animal's chops
The old man's chops quivered as he tried to form the words.
Sauce dribbled down the baby's chops as she ate her first bowl of soup.
down + possessive + chops
The cat sat on the steps licking its chops after finishing the fish scraps.
lick one's chops (literal use)
- lick one's chops
- chops quivered
- down one's chops
Usage Note
Always plural in this sense. Often used in the idiom 'lick one's chops' (literal: to lick around one's mouth after eating; figurative: to show eager anticipation).
Common Mistakes
6. a high level of technical ability or virtuosity, particularly when performing on
a high level of technical ability or virtuosity, particularly when performing on instruments such as guitar, piano, or saxophone.
The young pianist has serious chops for someone who has only been playing for three years.
have + adjective + chops
Noa earned his blues chops by playing in small clubs for over a decade.
genre + chops: blues/jazz/rock chops
The guitarist's jazz chops impressed everyone who came to the audition.
To play bebop well, a musician needs fast fingers and solid harmonic chops.
- have chops
- jazz chops
- guitar chops
- blues chops
- show one's chops
- earn one's chops
- virtuosity
formal; chops is informal and carries jazz/rock cultural associations
- technique
neutral and broader, not limited to music
Usage Note
Always plural. Originated in 1930s jazz slang: a player's 'chops' originally meant their lips and embouchure, which were essential for brass and wind instruments. The meaning broadened to technical skill on any instrument.
Common Mistakes
7. the combination of skills, experience, and natural ability needed to perform a j
the combination of skills, experience, and natural ability needed to perform a job or activity successfully.
Zara has the diplomatic chops to handle the difficult trade negotiations.
have the + adjective + chops + to-infinitive
The young journalist proved her writing chops with that award-winning feature article.
prove one's + skill + chops
The new manager showed she had the technical chops to lead the engineering division.
After ten years in sales, Dimitri felt he had earned his business chops.
earn one's + domain + chops
- have the chops
- prove one's chops
- show one's chops
- earn one's chops
- business chops
- writing chops
- credentials
more formal; can imply official qualifications rather than proven skill
- expertise
formal and neutral; chops is informal and carries a confident tone
- pedigree
emphasizes background and training rather than raw ability
Usage Note
Always plural. Distinguish from sense 6 (MUSICAL SKILL): sense 7 applies to any professional or creative field — business, writing, acting, diplomacy — but not music, where sense 6 is preferred. The modifier ('diplomatic chops,' 'writing chops,' 'business chops') specifies the domain.
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
All five words describe dividing something with a tool, but they differ in force, precision, and purpose. 'Chop' implies a strong downward blow with a heavy tool such as a knife, axe, or cleaver — you chop wood, chop onions (into rough pieces), or chop down a tree. 'Cut' is the most general term, covering everything from scissors on paper to a surgeon's scalpel. 'Hack' suggests rough, violent, or clumsy cutting, often without care for neatness — you might hack through a thick bush or hack at a piece of meat. 'Slice' is smooth, precise, and sliding — you slice bread, cake, or a tomato with a thin blade. 'Dice' is a controlled kitchen technique that produces small, even cubes. 'Mince' goes further, producing very fine pieces. If you need a rough, forceful cut, use 'chop'; for anything neat or delicate, use 'cut,' 'slice,' or 'dice.'
Common collocations
Phrases
- chop and change
- get the chop
- face the chop
- lick one's chops
Etymology
The verb 'chop' comes from Middle English 'choppen,' of Germanic origin, related to Dutch 'kappen' and German dialect 'kappen' (to cut off). The noun meaning 'meat with bone' dates back to the 1600s. The noun 'chops' (jaw area) comes from a different root — Middle English 'chappe' (jaw), possibly from Old English 'ceap' (jaw). In 1930s American jazz slang, 'chops' came to mean a musician's technical skill, originally referring to lip and mouth control (embouchure) needed for brass and wind instruments, and later broadening to any field of expertise. The business senses ('get the chop,' 'funding got chopped') developed in the 1900s from the core idea of cutting suddenly.