Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CHOP, v.t.¹ [G. and D. kappen; Dan. kapper; Gr. κοπτω; Fr. couper; Norm. copper or couper; Ar. كَبَحَ or كَيَفَ kafah or kaifa, to cut. Class Gb, No. 47, 51.]

1. To cut off or separate, by striking with a sharp instrument, either by a single blow, or by repeated blows; as, to chop off a head; to chop wood.
2. To cut into small pieces; to mince; as, to chop meat; to chop straw.
3. To grind and mince with the teeth; to devour eagerly; with up; as, to chop up an entertainment. Dryden.
4. To break or open into chinks or fissures; to crack; to chap. [See Chap.]

CHOP, v.t.² [Sax. ceapian, cypan, to buy or sell. See Cheap.]

1. To buy, or rather to barter, truck, exchange.
2. To exchange; to put one thing in the place of another; as, to chop and change our friends. – L'Estrange.
3. To bandy; to altercate; to return one word or thing for another. Let not the council chop with the judge. – Bacon.

CHOP'-CHURCH, n.

An exchange or an exchanger of benefices.

CHOP'-FALL-EN, a.

Dejected; dispirited.

CHOP'-HOUSE, n.

A house where provision ready dressed is sold.

CHO'PIN, n. [Fr. chopine.]

A liquid measure in France, containing nearly a pint Winchester measure. In Scotland, a quart of wine measure.

CHOP'PED, pp.

Cut; minced.

CHOP'PING, a.

Stout; lusty; plump.

CHOP'PING, n. [Sp. chapin.]

1. A high-heeled shoe, worn by ladies in Italy. [See Chioppine.]
2. A cutting; a mincing; from chop.

CHOP'PING, ppr.

Cutting; mincing; buying; bartering.

CHOP'PING-BLOCK, n.

A block on which any thing is laid to be chopped.

CHOP'PING-KNIFE, n.

A knife for mincing meat.

CHOP'PY, a.

Full of clefts or cracks.

CHOPS, n.

See CHOP.

CHOP'STICK, n.

A Chinese instrument for feeding with rice.

CHO-RAG'IC, a.

Pertaining to the Choragus; as, choragic monuments.

CHO-RA'GUS, n. [Gr. χορηγος, χορος, and αγω.]

The leader or superintendent of a chorus. Warburton.

CHO'RAL, a. [from chorus.]

1. Belonging to or composing a choir or concert; as, choral symphonies. – Milton.
2. Singing in a choir; as, choral seraphs. – Amhurst.

CHO'RAL-LY, adv.

In the manner of a chorus. – Mason.

CHORD, n. [L. chorda; Gr. χορδη, an intestine, of which strings were made. When it signifies a string or small rope, in general, it is written cord. See Cord.]

1. The string of a musical instrument. – Milton.
2. In music, the union of two or more sounds uttered at the same time, forming an entire harmony; as a third, fifth, and eighth, which are perfect chords, or consonancies. The fourth and sixth are imperfect chords.
3. In geometry, a right line drawn or supposed to extend from one end of an arch of a circle to the other. Hence the chord of an arch is a right line joining the extremities of that arch. – Encyc.

CHORD, v.t.

To string. – Dryden.

CHORD'ED, pp.

Strung; furnished with strings.

CHORD-EE', n. [See Chord.]

In medicine and surgery, a painful erection of the penis, under which it is considerably curved.

CHORD'ING, ppr.

Furnishing with strings.

CHORE, n. [Eng. char.]

In America, this word denotes small work of a domestic kind, as distinguished from the principal work of the day. It is generally used in the plural. Chores, which includes the daily or occasional business of feeding cattle and other animals, preparing fuel, sweeping the house, cleaning furniture, &c. [See Char.]