chop3
- Usually chops. the jaw.
- chops,
- the oral cavity; mouth.
- Slang.the embouchure or technique necessary to play a wind instrument.
- Slang.musical ability on any instrument, especially in playing jazz or rock; technical virtuosity.
- Slang.the music or musical part played by an instrumentalist, especially a solo passage.
- an entranceway, as into a body of water.
- Horology. either of two pieces clasping the end of the suspension spring of a pendulum.
- bust one's chops, Slang. to exert oneself.
- bust someone's chops, Slang. to annoy with nagging or criticism: Stop busting my chops—I'll get the job done.
- lick one's chops, to await with pleasure; anticipate; relish: He was already licking his chops over the expected inheritance.
Origin of chop3
chop1
- (often foll by down or off) to cut (something) with a blow from an axe or other sharp tool
- (tr) to produce or make in this mannerto chop firewood
- (tr often foll by up) to cut into pieces
- (tr) British informal to dispense with or reduce
- (intr) to move quickly or violently
- sport to hit (a ball) sharply downwards
- boxing martial arts to punch or strike (an opponent) with a short sharp blow
- Western African an informal word for eat
- a cutting blow
- the act or an instance of chopping
- a piece chopped off
- a slice of mutton, lamb, or pork, generally including a rib
- Australian and NZ slang a share (esp in the phrase get or hop in for one's chop)
- Western African an informal word for food
- Australian and NZ a competition of skill and speed in chopping logs
- sport a sharp downward blow or stroke
- not much chop Australian and NZ informal not much good; poor
- the chop slang dismissal from employment
Word Origin
chop2
- (intr) to change direction suddenly; vacillate (esp in the phrase chop and change)
- obsolete to barter
- chop logic to use excessively subtle or involved logic or argument
Word Origin
chop3
- a design stamped on goods as a trademark, esp in the Far East
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for bust someone's chops
chop
v.1
"to cut with a quick blow," mid-14c., of uncertain origin, perhaps from Old North French choper (Old French coper "to cut, cut off," 12c., Modern French couper), from Vulgar Latin *cuppare "to behead," from a root meaning "head," but influenced in Old French by couper "to strike." Related: Chopped; chopping.
chop
v.2
"shift quickly," 1530s, earlier "to bargain" (early 15c.), ultimately from Old English ceapian "to bargain" (see cheap); here with a sense of "changing back and forth," probably from common expressions such as to chop and change "barter." To chop logic is recorded from 1570s. Related: Chopped; chopping.
chop
n.
"act of chopping," mid-14c., from chop (v.1). Meaning "piece cut off" is mid-15c.; specifically "slice of meat" from mid-17c. Sense of "a blow, strike" is from 1550s.