Chop v.¹

Also 4–7 choppe, (5–6 schoppe, 6 chopp, 7 chope). [Another form of CHAP v.¹ The evidence of the quotations as to their relative priority in date is not decisive, nor is any trace of the word in either form to be found in OE., or in the older stages of Teutonic. Chap coincides in sense with Du. kappen to chop, cut, mince, hew, lop, prune, late MDu. cappen to hew off, chop off, LG. (whence mod.G.) kappen, Da. kappe, Sw. kappa to cut, chop. But the type to which these point is *kappôn, OTeut. *kappôjan, and this would app. have given in OE. only *cappian, since a before double stops followed by guttural vowel, did not give æ in primitive OE. This again would have given ME. and modern *cap; while the OE. type of chap would be *ceappian, *cæppian. Thus, the relationship of the Eng. to the continental words cannot, at present, be made out.

  Chop and chap were subsequently somewhat differentiated, chop becoming the proper word for branches I and II, while III and IV are left to chap. In some respects, the use of the chop forms, esp. in the sb. (sense 2), suggests influence of F. couper, in 13–15th c. often coper; but whether the latter had, or could have, any influence on the rise or currency of the form chop is problematical.]

  I.  To cut with a blow.

  1.  trans. To cut with a quick and heavy blow; now always with a hewing, hacking instrument, as an ax or cleaver; formerly also with a sword.

1362.  Langl., P. Pl., A. III. 253. Children and Cheorles, Chop hem to deþe. Ibid. (1377), B. XII. 127. And medle we nauȝt muche with hem to meuen any wrathe, Lest cheste chafen vs to choppe vche man other.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 8230. Achilles mony choise men choppit to þe erthe.

1490.  Caxton, Eneydos, XXII. 83. Thei thre furyouse goddesses infernalle … kutten and choppen, breken and marren alle the werke.

1839.  Sir C. Napier, in Bruce, Life, iv. 132. Cavalry are only useful to bully a mob … by chopping them a little instead of destroying them by firearms.

  b.  To make by this action.

1874.  Knight, Dict. Mech., I. 543/2. The cotton-chopper straddles the row, and chops wide gaps, leaving the plants in hills.

  2.  With various adverbial extensions (precisely as with CUT); as about, away, down, off, through, from anything, in two, in or into pieces, etc.

1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. I. 64. Bote holy churche & charite choppe [v.r. chaste] a-doun swich shryuers.

a. 1400[?].  Chester Pl. (1843), I. 161. I shall choppe of his heade.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 1967. I shuld … chop þurghe þi chekes for chaterying so high.

c. 1400.  Maundev., xix. 201. Thei choppen alle the Body in smale peces.

1583.  Stanyhurst, Æneis, III. (Arb.), 92. Wee chopt of softlye the cables.

1593.  Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., V. i. 135. Chop away that factious pate of his.

1611.  Bible, Micah iii. 3. They breake their bones, and chop them in pieces.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 23, ¶ 4. The Pope … ordered … both his Hands to be chopped off.

1811.  A. T. Thomson, Lond. Disp. (1818), 26. Bones, chopped into small pieces.

1864.  Tennyson, Boädicea, 68. Chop the breasts from off the mother.

1885.  P. Fitzgerald, in Mag. Art, Sept., 448/1. Carlos Quinto chopped the windows about to fit in heavy shutters, [etc.].

  3.  To cut (with an ax, cleaver, etc.) into pieces (usually for a purpose); to mince. This is = chop in pieces in 2. Also with compl., as to chop small. Chop up: to subdivide thoroughly by chopping; also fig.

a. 1400[?].  Morte Arth., 1026. Childre, Choppid in a chargour of chalke whytt sylver.

1523.  Fitzherb., Husb., § 44. Take … brome, croppes … and chop them very smal.

1527.  Andrew, Brunswyke’s Distyll. Waters, A ij b. The herbes or leves chopt.

a. 1535.  Dewes, Introd. Fr., in Palsgr. (1852), 939. To chope brede, chapler.

1570.  Levins, Manip., 169. To chop herbes, concidere.

1714.  Gay, Trivia, II. 129. The Cleaver chops the Heifer’s spoil.

1850.  H. Rogers, Ess., II. v. 251. Those complicated divisions and subdivisions into which our forefathers thought proper to chop up their discourses.

1849.  Claridge, Cold Water & Friction-Cure (1869), 89. Chopping or sawing wood is better exercise … than walking.

  absol.  1669.  Worlidge, Syst. Agric., vj. § 2 (1681), 92. Good to make Dressers, and Planks to chop on.

Mod.  In chopping fire-wood we want a block to chop on.

  4.  intr. To aim a hacking or hewing blow at.

1399.  Langl., Rich. Redeles, 22. Ich man y-charchid to schoppe at his croune.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 7259. He choppit to Achilles with a chere felle.

1859.  Kingsley, Misc. (1860), I. 202. He [the fish] … chops at it fiercely and hastily.

Mod.  I found him with an ax chopping at one of the trees.

  5.  trans. (fig.) To utter abruptly and disjointedly, with words or phrases cut short.

1865.  Dickens, Mut. Fr., III. ii. 278. Chopping the exclamation with that sharp little hatchet of hers.

1882.  Society, 16 Dec., 19/2. She was somewhat nervous … and chopped her words.

  6.  To harrow; = CHIP v.¹ 7. [Of doubtful connection.]

1830.  Galt, Lawrie T., II. xi (1849), 78. Having seven acres chopped, and three of them under crop. Ibid., 80. ’Somesever, that ’ere chopping, I reckon, is tarnation hard work.

  II.  To thrust or move with suddenness or force (as in delivering a blow).

  † 7.  trans. To thrust with sudden force. Obs. (Cf. colloq. to stick, clap.)

1560.  Whitehorne, Ord. Souldiours (1588), 33 b. The iust charge in pouder of euery peece may aforhand be prepared in a readinesse, and put in bagges of linnen … which in a sodaine may be chopt into the mouth of a peece.

1581.  J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 348 b. All these toyes, (which you have chopt into the Church at this day).

1594.  Shaks., Rich. III., I. iv. 160 (Globe). We will chop [1623 throw] him in the malmsey-butt in the next room.

1618.  Bolton, Florus, II. xvii. 146. A Souldier chopt his javeline into him.

1620.  J. Wilkinson, Treat. Coroners & Sherifes, 15. B. lying on the ground plucketh out his knife, and A. is so hasty to kill B. that he choppeth himselfe upon the knife of B.

1652.  Cotterell, Cassandra, II. ii. (1676), 143. I chopp’d my hand suddenly into his [a lion’s] throat.

1708.  J. C., Compl. Collier (1845), 14. Have good strong wooden Plugs ready made, whilst boreing, to chop into the Bore-hole.

  b.  To chop down, chop in, chop together. (Cf. to clap down, stick in, stick or clap together.) Chop in (fig.): to interpolate, ‘clap’ or ‘stick’ in.

1550.  Latimer, Last Serm. bef. Edw. VI., I. 253. This covetous fellow … interrupted the sermon, even by suddenly chopping in ‘Master … speak to my brother.’

1562.  J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 104. She … chopt downe emptie candelsticks two or thrée.

1581.  J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 418. A certein Gloaser, who … doth chopp in an exposition of his own. Ibid. Could this Lymbus be a fitt place to chopp the unbelevers and holy ones together?

1586.  Ferne, Blaz. Gentrie, II. 23. You chop so much vplandish in your tale, that by my troth, I scantly vnderstand the halfe of it.

1602.  Rowlands, Greene’s Cony-catchers (1860), 29. By, a fine tricke of Legerdemaine gathers it [a gold chain] vp into his hand, and chops the copper chaine in place.

1640.  Sir E. Dering, Proper Sacrif. (1644), 29. You chop in the word offer.

1656.  Hobbes, Liberty, Necess. etc. (1841), 327. He chops in and therefore, and makes an absurd consequence.

  c.  absol. To cause to fall with a sudden jerk.

1708.  J. C., Compl. Collier (1845), 11. We have two Labourers at a time at the handle of the bore Rod, and they chop, or pounce.

  † 8.  intr. To go or come with sudden impetus, or with violence. Of voluntary action: to ‘strike,’ dart, swoop, bounce, pounce, force oneself. Obs.

  a.  esp. with in, into, to ‘strike’ in, thrust oneself in, enter forcibly, intervene, break in with a remark.

1535.  Joye, Apol. Tindale (Arb.), 20. So sodenly fyercely and boldely to choppe in to any mannis conscience.

1551.  T. Wilson, Logike, 51 b. Some … choppe in at a windowe when the doore is shut up.

1585.  Parsons, Chr. Exerc., II. iii. 252. Vnconstant menne, that nowe choppe in, and nowe runne out.

1600.  J. Norden, in Farr, S. P. Eliz. (1845), II. 460. A change chops in of more inconstant rate.

1631–2.  High Commission Cases (1886), 320. It was not wont that men should choppe in and talke soe when the Court is speakinge.

1663.  Bp. Patrick, Parab. Pilgr., xxxiv. (1668), 422. He … made no more ado but chopt into their company.

1697.  Collier, Ess. Mor. Subj., II. (1709), 22. He presently orders the Musick to play grave, and chop into a Dorion.

1714.  Ellwood, Autobiog., 232. I, by a nimble Turn, chopt in upon him and kept him at a Bay.

1725.  De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 204. [They] chop in with their nimble tongues.

1816.  Scott, Antiq., iii. How have I trembled, lest some passing stranger should chop in between me and the prize.

  b.  Also with other constructions, as down, forth, off, out, etc.; to chop upon, to pounce upon.

1556.  J. Heywood, Spider & F., xxv. 7. Flise at libertee in and out might chop. Ibid. (1562), Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 142. [He] as rashely, as rudely, chopt foorth.

1583.  Golding, Calvin on Deut. lx. 359. They chop downe to the table lyke swyne.

1600.  F. Walker, Sp. Mandeville, 152 a. When they see any Hawke … they choppe downe into the Snowe.

c. 1611.  Beaum. & Fl., Maid’s Trag., IV. ii. Thou wilt chop out with them unseasonably, When I desire them not.

a. 1620.  J. Dyke, Sel. Serm. (1640), 108. They chop suddenly off from these duties, breake them off abruptly.

a. 1688.  Villiers (Dk. Buckhm.), Chances (1714), 143. Whose Chastity he chops upon, he cares not.

1691.  Lady R. Russell, Lett., II. cxxi. 89. Now every thing is so soon chopped upon and gone.

1698.  Morris, Pract. Disc., IV. 67. It would not do so well to … chop down right into a discourse about Religion.

  c.  Naut. To chop to an anchor: to come to anchor hastily.

1633.  T. James, Voy., 22. We chopt to an Anker: and sayed the pumps.

  † 9.  Of involuntary action: To be precipitated, to come or go suddenly, to drop, fall, etc. With down, in. Obs.

1579.  Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 261/2. There be no stumbling blocks to make vs chop out of the way.

1583–91.  H. Smith, Wks. (1866–7), I. 366. A hard thing for princes to remember death; they … chop into the earth before they be aware.

1589.  R. Harvey, Pl. Perc., 3. If his frinds or his foes chop into it vnawares.

1627.  Drayton, Agincourt, 124. And being gotten to the top … downe on th’ other side doth chop, And to the foot came rumbling.

1681.  Cotton, Wond. Peake (ed. 4), 55.

  † b.  To fall in with; come upon suddenly and by chance; to fall upon. Obs.

1652.  Blithe, Eng. Improv. Impr., xxviii. 191. He shall never make a Plough to go with ease by his rules, unless he chop upon it by chance.

1692.  Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), II. 503. One of our West India ships … chopt upon a French privateer … and took her.

1697.  Collier, Ess. Mor. Subj., II. (1709), 197. He is just chop’d in with a Pack of Dogs.

1703.  Farquhar, Inconstant, III. (1728), 42. What shou’d I chop upon but the very place.

1720.  De Foe, Capt. Singleton, xii. (1840), 217. We chopped upon a booty.

  III.  = CHAP v.¹ II.

  † 10.  intr. To break open in clefts or cracks; to crack, cleave; now to CHAP. Obs.

1576.  Baker, Jewell of Health, 17 a. The Oven must … be well playstred with fast and strong Lyme, that the same chop not.

1578.  Lyte, Dodoens, 318. A certayne fruit like unto peares, the whiche do also chop and cleeve asunder.

1693.  Evelyn, De la Quint. Compl. Gard., I. 23. Soils that easily Chop in the time of great long heats.

1759.  Heberden, in Phil. Trans., LI. 216. The nipples of her breasts chopped.

  † 11.  trans. To make a cleft or incision in, gash.

1669.  Worlidge, Syst. Agric., vj. § 2 (1681), 91. If the old [Elm] Roots be chopped or slit, and slightly covered with light Mould, they will send forth plenty of Suckers.

1857.  J. G. Holland, Bay Path, vi. 76. That rough thread of soil, chopped by the blades of a hundred streams.

  IV.  = CHAP v.¹ III. Sc.

  † 12.  trans. To strike, knock; mod.Sc. chap.

a. 1375.  in Lay Folks Mass-bk., 137. He chopped his Cholle, A-ȝeyn þe Marbel-ston.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, IX. xii. 46. For wikkit Iuno … Choppyt by the schaft [of the spear].

a. 1572.  Knox, Hist. Ref. Scotland, Wks. 1846, I. 99. Thei wold chope thare familiares on the cheak with it.

1599.  James I., Βασιλικον Δωρον (1682), 11. Conscience … choppeth … him with a feeling that he hath done wrong.

c. 1657.  Sir J. Balfour, Ann. Scotl. (1824–5), II. 68. It was … his Maiesties pleasur, that they tuo should chope handes, and embrace one ane other, wich … they werey cordially did.

  † 13.  intr. To strike; mod.Sc. chap.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, V. vi. 66. Diores, quhidderand at his bak fute hate, His tais choppand on his heill all the gait.

a. 1572.  Knox, Hist. Ref., Wks. 1846, I. 206. The galayes … eschapping a great danger, (for upon the back of the sandis thei all schopped).

  V.  In various uses this verb and the next appear to run together, and produce senses which combine the two notions of ‘striking,’ or suddenly moving in any direction, with that of ‘turning’ as in the chopping of the wind. Thus a fox is said to chop back and double; a mineral vein chops up, down, back, etc.

a. 1620.  J. Dyke, Sel. Serm. (1640), 108. Such a sudden and immediate chopping from holy duties to matters of the world.

1747.  [See CHOP sb.¹ II].

1879.  J. Armstrong, Wanny Blossoms (Hexham), 85. The fox chops back and doubles like a hare.