n. [ See Chap. ] 1. A jaw of an animal; -- commonly in the pl. See Chops. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A movable jaw or cheek, as of a wooden vise. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The land at each side of the mouth of a river, harbor, or channel; as, East Chop or West Chop. See Chops. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Chin. & Hind. chāp stamp, brand. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Quality; brand; as, silk of the first chop. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A permit or clearance. [ 1913 Webster ]

Chop dollar, a silver dollar stamped to attest its purity. --
chop of tea, a number of boxes of the same make and quality of leaf. --
Chowchow chop. See under Chowchow. --
Grand chop, a ship's port clearance. S. W. Williams. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of chopping; a stroke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A piece chopped off; a slice or small piece, especially of meat; as, a mutton chop. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A crack or cleft. See Chap. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Chopped p. pr. & vb. n. Chopping. ] [ Cf. LG. & D. kappen, Dan. kappe, Sw. kappa. Cf. Chap to crack. ] 1. To cut by striking repeatedly with a sharp instrument; to cut into pieces; to mince; -- often with up. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To sever or separate by one more blows of a sharp instrument; to divide; -- usually with off or down. [ 1913 Webster ]

Chop off your hand, and it to the king. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To seize or devour greedily; -- with up. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Upon the opening of his mouth he drops his breakfast, which the fox presently chopped up. L'estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To make a quick strike, or repeated strokes, with an ax or other sharp instrument. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To do something suddenly with an unexpected motion; to catch or attempt to seize. [ 1913 Webster ]

Out of greediness to get both, he chops at the shadow, and loses the substance. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To interrupt; -- with in or out. [ 1913 Webster ]

This fellow interrupted the sermon, even suddenly chopping in. Latimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Cf. D. koopen to buy. See Cheapen, v. t., and cf. Chap, v. i., to buy. ] 1. To barter or truck. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To exchange; substitute one thing for another. [ 1913 Webster ]

We go on chopping and changing our friends. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

To chop logic, to dispute with an affected use of logical terms; to argue sophistically. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To purchase by way of truck. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Naut.) To vary or shift suddenly; as, the wind chops about. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To wrangle; to altercate; to bandy words. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let not the counsel at the bar chop with the judge. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A change; a vicissitude. Marryat. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. To crack. See Chap, v. t. & i. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Chin. chop sort, quality. ] A licensed lighter employed in the transportation of goods to and from vessels. [ China ] S. W. Williams. [ 1913 Webster ]