chop

To chop something is to cut it with a knife or an axe.

He chopped an onion in half.
Wood is chopped for firewood.

• I chopped down a tree in my backyard because it died. (The preposition "down" is often used with "chop" when talking about trees.)
• There are some other trees on my property that need to be chopped down or trimmed. (The word "chop" in this sentence is in the passive voice.)
• Have you ever needed to chop down a tree?
• Many stir fry recipes call for chopped vegetables. (The word "chopped" is an adjective.)
• When food is chopped into very, very small pieces, you can say that it’s minced.
• What kind of a knife do you use to chop food?

There are a few other ways to use the word "chop."

A man with large sideburns has large chops. (Sideburns: the hair on your face that leads to the chin. It’s not a beard.)
A person who knows how to play the guitar well shows off his chops. (chops = skill)
A chop of meat is a large cut of meat, usually including the bone. Lamb chops and pork chops are popular in the United States.
Chop sticks may be used when eating some Asian food. (Chinese food, Vietnamese food, Thai food, etc.)
Some people refer to a helicopter as a chopper.

Visit the Word of the Day section to learn more words.

November 4, 2018