chop

chop

I

chop¹ S3 /tʃɒp $ tʃɑːp/ verb (past tense and past participle chopped, present participle chopping) [transitive]1. (also chop up) to cut something into smaller pieces:
    He went outside to chop some more wood for the fire.
    Can you chop up some carrots for me?
    Add two finely chopped onions and a clove of garlic.
    chop something into pieces/chunks etc
    Chop the meat into small cubes.
2. informal to reduce an amount of money by a large amount:
    He suddenly found that his income had been chopped in half.
3. chop and change British English informal to keep changing your mind:
    You can’t keep chopping and changing like this__
     
chop at something phrasal verb
  to hit something with a sharp tool in order to cut it:
    They chopped at the bushes with their knives.
chop something ↔ down phrasal verb
  to make a tree fall down by cutting it with a sharp tool:
    A couple of the older trees will have to be chopped down.
    Large areas of rainforest are being chopped down every day.
chop something ↔ off phrasal verb
  to remove something by cutting it with a sharp tool:
    The branch had been chopped off.
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ cut to divide something into two or more pieces, especially using a knife or scissors: Do you want me to cut the cake? | He cut off the lower branches.
   ▪ snip to quickly cut something, especially using scissors: I snipped the label off. | The hairdresser snipped away at her hair.
   ▪ slit to make a long narrow cut through something, especially using a knife: He slit the envelope open with a penknife. | She slit through the plastic covering.
   ▪ slash to cut something quickly and violently with a knife, making a long thin cut: Someone had slashed the tyres on his car. | He tried to slash his wrists.
   ▪ saw to cut wood, using a saw (=a tool with a row of sharp points): Saw the wood to the correct length.
   ▪ chop to cut wood, vegetables, or meat into pieces: Bill was outside chopping up firewood with an axe. | They chopped down the old tree. | finely chopped onion
   ▪ slice to cut bread, meat, or vegetables into thin pieces: I’ll slice the cucumber. | Slice the bread thinly.
   ▪ dice to cut vegetables or meat into small square pieces: First dice the apple into cubes.
   ▪ grate to cut cheese or a hard vegetable by rubbing it against a special tool: Grate the cheese and sprinkle it over the vegetables.
   ▪ peel to cut the outside part off something such as a potato or apple: I peeled the potatoes and put them in a saucepan.
   ▪ carve to cut thin pieces from a large piece of meat: Uncle Ray carved the turkey.
   ▪ mow to cut the grass in a garden, park etc: A gardener was mowing the lawn.
   ▪ trim (also clip) to cut a small amount off something, especially to make it look neater: He was trimming his beard. | Trim the excess fat off the meat.

II

chop² noun [countable]
1. a small piece of meat on a bone, usually cut from a sheep or pig ⇨ steak:
    a grilled pork/lamb chop
2. the chop British English
  a. if you get or are given the chop, you lose your job:
    Six more staff got the chop last week.
    I might be for the chop (=lose my job).
  b. if something gets or is given the chop, it is closed or stopped because people do not want to pay for it any more:
    The project might get the chop.
    This factory might now be for the chop (=likely to be closed).
3. a hard downward movement that you make with your hand:
    a karate chop
4. the act of hitting something with a sharp tool in order to cut it:
    With one last chop he split the log in two.
5. chops [plural] informal the lower part of the face of a person or animal – used humorously:
    Jack was grinning all over his chops.
     

THESAURUS

■ preparing food
   ▪ grate to cut cheese, carrot etc into small pieces by rubbing it against a special tool: Grate the cheese and sprinkle it over the top of the pasta.
   ▪ melt to make butter, chocolate etc become liquid: Melt the butter, chocolate, and 1 teaspoon of cream over a low heat.
   ▪ sieve British English, sift American English to put flour or other powders through a sieve (=tool like a net made of wire, which you use for removing larger grains or pieces): Sift the flour and cocoa before adding to the rest of the mixture.
   ▪ chop to cut something into pieces, especially using a big knife: Chop up the vegetables.
   ▪ dice to cut vegetables or meat into small square pieces: Dice the carrots and then fry them in butter.
   ▪ season to add salt, pepper etc to food: Season the meat before grilling.
   ▪ crush to use a lot of force to break something such as seeds into very small pieces or into a powder: Add one clove of crushed garlic.
   ▪ mix to combine different foods together: Mix together all the ingredients in one bowl.
   ▪ beat/whisk to mix food together quickly with a fork or other tool: Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
   ▪ stir to turn food around with a spoon: Stir the sauce gently to prevent burning.
   ▪ fold something in to gently mix another substance into a mixture: Fold in the beaten egg whites.
   ▪ knead to press dough (=a mixture of flour and water) many times with your hands when you are making bread: Knead the dough for ten minutes, until smooth.
   ▪ drizzle to slowly pour a small amount of a liquid onto something: Drizzle with olive oil.
   ▪ let something stand to leave something somewhere, before you do something else with it: Let the mixture stand for a couple of hours so that it cools naturally.
   ▪ serve to put different foods together as part of a meal: Serve with rice and a salad. | Serve the aubergines on a bed of lettuce.