chop

Universal Words verb, noun verb (-pp-) 1 ~ sth (up) (into sth) to cut sth into pieces with a sharp tool such as a knife: [VN] Chop the carrots up into small pieces. * Add the finely chopped onions. * He was chopping logs for firewood. * (figurative) The country was chopped up into small administrative areas. [also V] 2 [VN] [usuallypassive] (informal) to reduce sth by a large amount; to stop sth SYNCUT: The share price was chopped from 50 pence to 20 pence. 3 [VN] to hit sth with a short downward stroke or blow IDIOMS chop and change (BrE, informal) to keep changing your mind or what you are doing PHRASALVERBS chop (away) at sth to aim blows at sth with a heavy sharp tool such as an AXE chop sth<->down to make sth, such as a tree, fall by cutting it at the base with a sharp tool chop sth<->off (sth) to remove sth by cutting it with a sharp tool: He chopped a branch off the tree. * (informal) Anne Boleyn had her head chopped off. noun 1 [C] a thick slice of meat with a bone attached to it, especially from a pig or sheep: a pork / lamb chop 2 [C] an act of cutting sth with a quick downward movement using an AXE or a knife: Give the mushrooms a quick chop before adding them to the pan. 3 [C] an act of hitting sth with the side of your hand in a quick downward movement: a karate chop 4 (chops) [pl.] (informal) the part of a person's or an animal's face around the mouth: The dog sat licking its chops. IDIOMS get / be given the chop (BrE, informal) 1 (of a person) to be dismissed from a job: The whole department has been given the chop. 2 (of a plan, project, etc.) to be stopped or ended: Three more schemes have got the chop. be for the chop (BrE, informal) 1 (of a person) to be likely to be dismissed from a job: Who's next for the chop? 2 (of a plan, project, etc.) to be likely to be stopped or ended