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chops

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chops¹

  • /t͡ʃɑps/ US
  • /t͡ʃɒps/ UK

Rhymes with -ɒps

Where it comes from

From the plural of chop (“jaw, side of a harbour”). The jazz slang sense “musical ability” is a reference to the use of the lips to blow instruments.

noun

  1. plural, plural only plural of chop
  2. plural, plural only, slang Jaws, lips, mouth. […]who knows but ſome fine lady of St. James's pariſh might admit into her delicate mouth thoſe very cherries, which had been rolled and moiſtened between the filthy, and, perhaps, ulcerated chops of a St. Giles's huckſter[…]
  3. plural, plural only One's skill at musical interpretation and delivery; musical performance ability. Although the bass player had no experience playing in New Orleans, the crowd's enthusiastic response showed that he had the chops to make it in the very particular Crescent City jazz scene.
  4. broadly, informal, plural, plural only One's skill at any endeavor; ability, talent; competency. Although he did not know all of the ins and outs of the newsroom, he had the writing chops to become a regular contributor.
  5. plural, plural only The area where two tides meet and cause an irregular (choppy) sea.
  6. plural, plural only A pattern that involves carrying the object with the hand over the next object before throwing it.
  7. Australia, Nigeria, plural, plural only, slang Food.

chops²

  • /t͡ʃɑps/ US
  • /t͡ʃɒps/ UK

Rhymes with -ɒps

Where it comes from

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

verb

  1. indicative, present, singular, third person third-person singular simple present indicative of chop He chops wood all day.

chops³

  • /t͡ʃɑps/ US
  • /t͡ʃɒps/ UK

Rhymes with -ɒps

Where it comes from

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

verb chopses · chopsing · chopsed

  1. alternative Alternative form of chopse

CHOPs⁴

noun

  1. plural plural of CHOP

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: chopper, chop up, hack, chop shot, hog, swine, lamb, veal, pork, mutton, breaded, scales, hews, seals, cheeks, coastlines

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Cite this
MLA

"chops." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/chops. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

chops. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/chops

Chicago

"chops." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/chops.

BibTeX
@misc{chops_2026,
  title = {chops},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/chops},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}