chop
chop — verb
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.
The farmer chopped through the thick root with a sharp spade.
After the storm, Ravi chopped the broken branches into smaller logs.
文法句型
chop + object
chop + up/off/down + object
chop (intransitive) + at/through
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
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.
The CEO warned that more positions would be chopped if sales did not improve.
文法句型
be chopped
chop + object (funding/jobs/services)
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
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.
文法句型
chop + the ball
用法筆記
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 — noun
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.
The recipe calls for four veal chops seasoned with salt and rosemary.
用法筆記
Often preceded by the animal name: lamb chop, pork chop, veal chop. A 'chop' is thicker than a 'cutlet' and always contains a bone.
常見錯誤
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.
A few more chops and the thick branch came loose from the trunk.
用法筆記
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.
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
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.
The proposed housing development got the chop after residents protested loudly.
- cancellation
more formal and neutral
- closure
standard formal term for ending an institution
- scrapping
informal, emphasizes the suddenness
用法筆記
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.
The cat sat on the steps licking its chops after finishing the fish scraps.
用法筆記
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).
常見錯誤
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.
- virtuosity
formal; chops is informal and carries jazz/rock cultural associations
- technique
neutral and broader, not limited to music
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
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.
- 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
用法筆記
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.