chop

/tʃɔp/

Thân thiện

A tennis player hits a chop return over the net.

Definition

1. Noun:

   • A small cut of meat including a rib: A piece of meat, typically from a lamb, pork, or veal, containing a section of rib bone.
   • A short, sharp downward blow or cut: The action of cutting something with a quick, heavy blow.
   • The irregular motion of waves: A rough area of short, choppy waves on the surface of water, usually caused by wind against the current.
   • A return in sports (e.g., tennis, table tennis) made with a downward motion: A shot or stroke that imparts backspin by striking the ball with a downward, chopping motion.

2. Verb:

   • To cut into pieces with repeated sharp blows: To divide or sever something by hitting it with a heavy, sharp tool like an axe or knife.
   • To hit sharply with a short blow: To strike something with a quick, cutting motion.
   • To shape or form by cutting: To create something by chopping.
   • To move suddenly or abruptly: To change direction or quality suddenly.

Examples

• Noun:

  • We grilled lamb chops for dinner.
  • With one clean chop of the axe, he split the log.
  • The boat struggled in the heavy chop on the bay.
  • Her defensive chop returned the ball with heavy backspin.

• Verb:

  • Please chop the onions finely for the sauce.
  • The karate master can chop through a stack of boards.
  • They had to chop a path through the dense jungle.
  • The wind chopped around to the north, bringing colder air.

Advanced Usage

• "chop and change": To keep changing your mind, plans, or opinions frequently and unpredictably.

  • He's always chopping and changing his ideas, so it's hard to make a decision.

• "get the chop" (informal): To be dismissed from a job or to have something terminated.

  • Several projects got the chop due to budget cuts.

• "lick one's chops": To anticipate something with great pleasure, especially food.

  • He was licking his chops at the thought of the delicious meal.

Variants and Related Words

• Chopper (n): A tool for chopping, such as a cleaver or a helicopter (informal).
• Chopping (adj/gerund): Used to describe an action or a surface, e.g., , .
• Choppy (adj): Describing rough, irregular waves or disjointed, uneven speech/movement.

Synonyms

• Verb: Cut, hack, hew, sever, dice, mince.
• Noun: Cut, piece, slab, wavelets, roughness.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Chop down: To cause a tall object, especially a tree, to fall by chopping.

  • They had to chop down the dead tree before it fell on the house.

• Chop off: To remove something by chopping.

  • He accidentally chopped off the tip of his finger while cooking.

• Chop up: To chop something into many small pieces.

  • Chop up the vegetables and add them to the pot.

Related Idioms

• Pork chop / Lamb chop: Refers directly to the specific cut of meat.
• Down in the chops (informal): Looking sad, dejected, or disappointed.
  • He was really down in the chops after hearing the bad news.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a grounder that bounces high in the air
2. a tennis return made with a downward motion that puts backspin on the ball
3. a jaw
   • I'll hit him on the chops
4. a small cut of meat including part of a rib
5. the irregular motion of waves (usually caused by wind blowing in a direction opposite to the tide)
   • the boat headed into the chop

Verb

1. hit sharply
2. cut with a hacking tool
3. strike sharply, as in some sports
4. form or shape by chopping
   • chop a hole in the ground
5. move suddenly
6. cut into pieces
   • Chop wood
   • chop meat

Từ đồng nghĩa

• chopper
• chop shot
• hack
• chop up