chop stroke: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (Technical)Specialist/Sports Journalism
Quick answer
What does “chop stroke” mean?
In cricket, a forceful downward batting shot played to the side, often against a ball of good length.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
In cricket, a forceful downward batting shot played to the side, often against a ball of good length.
A cutting or slashing stroke, primarily a cricketing term, though can be used metaphorically for a decisive, forceful action.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Almost exclusively used in cricket contexts, which are far more prevalent in UK and Commonwealth countries. In the US, 'stroke' in this compound is unlikely; they might say 'slash' or 'cut'.
Connotations
In cricket commentary, can imply a risky, powerful shot, not one of high textbook elegance.
Frequency
Used within cricket circles and reports. Very rare in general American English, where 'swing' or 'hit' would be more common for a forceful shot in baseball.
Grammar
How to Use “chop stroke” in a Sentence
[Subject] + chops/chop-stroked + [object (the ball)] + [prep. phrase (to/through region)]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “chop stroke” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He chop-stroked the ball viciously through point for four.
American English
- [Rare, but possible in int'l context] She chop-stroked the delivery past the slips.
adverb
British English
- [Unused]
American English
- [Unused]
adjective
British English
- That was a classic chop-stroke dismissal.
American English
- [Unused]
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Metaphor for a decisive, forceful action to cut through competition or red tape.
Academic
Virtually unused except in sports history or analysis.
Everyday
Extremely rare outside of cricket fans.
Technical
Specific to cricket coaching and commentary.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “chop stroke”
- Using 'chop stroke' to describe a golf or tennis shot (incorrect).
- Confusing it with 'chop' as in food preparation.
- Using it as a general term for any hitting action.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not usually. It is considered a high-risk, high-reward shot as it involves hitting across the line of the ball.
It is understood in the context of international cricket but is not a native American sporting term. An American might simply say 'a hard cut'.
A cut shot is typically played to a shorter, wider ball. A chop stroke is more force-oriented, often played to a ball of better length, with a steeper, more downward swing.
Primarily a noun ('he played a chop stroke'). It can be verbed informally ('he chop-stroked it'), but this is less common.
In cricket, a forceful downward batting shot played to the side, often against a ball of good length.
Chop stroke is usually specialist/sports journalism in register.
Chop stroke: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtʃɒp ˌstrəʊk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtʃɑːp ˌstroʊk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Metaphorical] 'He chop-stroked his way through the opposition's arguments.'”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a chef chopping vegetables downwards with force, then picture a cricket batter doing the same to a ball.
Conceptual Metaphor
ARGUMENT IS WAR / COMPETITION IS SPORT: A decisive counter-argument is a chop stroke.
Practice
Quiz
In which sport is the term 'chop stroke' primarily used?