chops
Britishplural noun
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the jaws or cheeks; jowls
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the mouth
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slang
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music embouchure
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jazz skill
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informal to anticipate with pleasure
Etymology
Origin of chops
C16: of uncertain origin
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Root, a veteran character actor probably best known for his comedic roles like the nebbish Milton in Mike Judge’s cult classic “Office Space,” has had rare opportunities to flex his dramatic chops.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
“Her hands kept very busy. They sliced the air and made karate chops to mark off boundaries.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Initially known for minor roles in dramas, her bubbly personality and comedic chops soon won her recognition as one of China's top TV personalities.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026
And it isn’t just SpaceX, but also Anthropic and OpenAI and the unceasing chatter and licking of chops over the mind-bending explosion of intergenerational wealth anticipated by their pending IPOs, that gives me pause.
From Barron's ● May 29, 2026
Momma used the baubles to buy several hogs, and that was how Rose Hill came to have pork chops every Sunday after the Scripture was read.
From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
