chop
B1Neutral to informal. Common in everyday speech, cooking, and business contexts (e.g., 'budget cuts').
Definition
Meaning
to cut something into pieces with a quick, heavy blow using a sharp tool like an axe or knife.
To reduce something significantly or abruptly; to terminate or cancel (e.g., a project); in computing, to remove parts of data; in sports (especially tennis/badminton), to hit with a short downward stroke.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies a certain force and finality. Often used for food preparation but extends metaphorically to abrupt termination ('get the chop').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both use 'chop' for cutting food. British English uses 'chop' informally for cancellation ('the project got the chop'). In US, 'ax' is more common for budget cuts.
Connotations
UK: informal cancellation. US: strong association with woodcutting and cooking (e.g., 'pork chops').
Frequency
Slightly higher in UK informal speech for 'getting the chop' (being fired/stopped).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
chop something (verb + obj)chop something down/off (verb + obj + particle)chop something into pieces (verb + obj + prepositional phrase)chop at something (verb + preposition)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “get the chop”
- “chop and change”
- “for the chop”
- “chop logic”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Informal: 'The underperforming division got the chop.'
Academic
Rare; used in historical contexts ('chopping wood for fuel') or computing ('chopping a string').
Everyday
Very common: 'Chop the carrots for the soup.'
Technical
Computing: 'The program chops the video into segments.' Sports: 'He chopped the ball back over the net.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He'll need to chop a lot of firewood for the winter.
- The manager decided to chop the outdated regulations.
- She quickly chopped the herbs for the sauce.
American English
- We need to chop these vegetables for the stir-fry.
- The company chopped funding for the research program.
- He chopped at the dense underbrush with a machete.
adverb
British English
- He cut the carrots chop for the stew.
- Add the onions, finely chop.
- The logs were split chop for the fireplace.
American English
- Slice the celery chop for the stuffing.
- She instructed to dice the peppers chop.
- The meat was cut chop for kebabs.
adjective
British English
- He served grilled chop potatoes with the roast.
- They prefer a chop salad with their meal.
- The recipe calls for finely chop nuts.
American English
- The menu featured chop steak with onions.
- She made a quick chop salad for lunch.
- Add the coarse chop garlic last.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Please chop the tomatoes for the salad.
- My dad chops wood for our fireplace.
- You need to chop the onions before frying them.
- The studio chopped the film's budget by half.
- The developer chopped the lengthy document into manageable sections.
- His inconsistent opinions show a tendency to chop and change.
- The editorial team chopped several paragraphs to meet the word limit, altering the article's nuance.
- Policy makers warned against chopping and changing the economic strategy every few months.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a chef saying 'CHOP!' with each downstroke of the knife.
Conceptual Metaphor
TERMINATION IS CUTTING (e.g., 'the project was chopped'), REDUCTION IS CHOPPING (e.g., 'chopped the budget').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'рубить' for delicate cutting (use 'slice', 'dice'). 'Chop' implies more force. 'Chop down a tree' = 'срубить дерево', not 'резать'.
- Confusion with 'chop' as noun meaning a cut of meat (e.g., 'lamb chop').
Common Mistakes
- Using 'chop' for slicing bread (use 'slice').
- Overusing 'chop' metaphorically in formal writing.
- Incorrect particle: 'chop the tree' vs. 'chop down the tree'.
Practice
Quiz
In British informal English, what does 'get the chop' typically mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Chop' is general, often implying force and irregular pieces. 'Slice' implies thin, flat pieces. 'Dice' means to cut into small, neat cubes.
Yes, commonly meaning a thick slice of meat with a bone (e.g., 'pork chop') or the act of cutting ('a quick chop').
Both are correct and interchangeable. 'Chopping board' is slightly more common in UK English.
It means to keep changing your mind, plans, or opinions frequently and unpredictably.
Collections
Part of a collection
Food and Cooking
A2 · 50 words · Cooking methods, kitchen tools and recipes.