Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CHAP, v.t. [Ar. جَبَّ jabba, to cut off or out, to castrate; جَابَ jauba, to split, rend, tear, or cleave, to cut. It seems to be allied to the G. and D. kappen, Dan. kapper, Fr. couper; but these agree better with Ar. كَبَعَ or كَيَفَ kafa or kaifa, to cut. See Chop and Gape. Chap is sometimes pronounced chop.]

To cleave, split, crack, or open longitudinally, as the surface of the earth, or the skin and flesh of the hand. Dry weather chaps the earth; cold dry winds chap the hands.