chop3

[chop] /tʃɒp/
noun
1.
Usually, chops. the jaw.
2.
chops.
  1. the oral cavity; mouth.
  2. Slang. the embouchure or technique necessary to play a wind instrument.
  3. Slang. musical ability on any instrument, especially in playing jazz or rock; technical virtuosity.
  4. Slang. the music or musical part played by an instrumentalist, especially a solo passage.
3.
an entranceway, as into a body of water.
4.
Horology. either of two pieces clasping the end of the suspension spring of a pendulum.
Idioms
5.
bust one's chops, Slang. to exert oneself.
6.
bust someone's chops, Slang. to annoy with nagging or criticism:
Stop busting my chops—I'll get the job done.
7.
lick one's chops, to await with pleasure; anticipate; relish:
He was already licking his chops over the expected inheritance.
Also, chap.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English; perhaps special use of chop1
British Dictionary definitions for lick one's chops

chop1

/tʃɒp/
verb chops, chopping, chopped
1.
often foll by down or off. to cut (something) with a blow from an axe or other sharp tool
2.
(transitive) to produce or make in this manner: to chop firewood
3.
(transitive) often foll by up. to cut into pieces
4.
(transitive) (Brit, informal) to dispense with or reduce
5.
(intransitive) to move quickly or violently
6.
(sport) to hit (a ball) sharply downwards
7.
(boxing, martial arts) to punch or strike (an opponent) with a short sharp blow
8.
(W African) an informal word for eat
noun
9.
a cutting blow
10.
the act or an instance of chopping
11.
a piece chopped off
12.
a slice of mutton, lamb, or pork, generally including a rib
13.
(Austral & NZ, slang) a share (esp in the phrase get or hop in for one's chop)
14.
(W African) an informal word for food
15.
(Austral & NZ) a competition of skill and speed in chopping logs
16.
(sport) a sharp downward blow or stroke
17.
(Austral & NZ, informal) not much chop, not much good; poor
18.
(slang) the chop, dismissal from employment
Word Origin
C16: variant of chap1

chop2

/tʃɒp/
verb chops, chopping, chopped
1.
(intransitive) to change direction suddenly; vacillate (esp in the phrase chop and change)
2.
(obsolete) to barter
3.
chop logic, to use excessively subtle or involved logic or argument
Word Origin
Old English ceapian to barter; see cheap, chapman

chop3

/tʃɒp/
noun
1.
a design stamped on goods as a trademark, esp in the Far East
Word Origin
C17: from Hindi chhāp
Word Origin and History for lick one's chops

chop

v.

"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.

"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.

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.

Slang definitions & phrases for lick one's chops

lick one's chops

verb phrase

To display hunger and anticipation for food or for something else desired: We all sat licking our chops as the turkey was carved/ I licked my chops when I thought of that huge bonus (1655+)


chop

noun
  1. Grade or quality: The food here is first chop
  2. A rude or mean-spirited remark: a chop to the innocent girl

[1823+; fr Hindi, ''seal'']


Idioms and Phrases with lick one's chops

lick one's chops

Also, lick one's lips. Anticipate with great pleasure. For example, The kids were licking their chops as Mother described the family vacation plans, or I couldn't help but lick my lips when she talked about the menu. Both expressions allude to anticipating a tasty morsel of food. The second is the older, dating from about 1500 and used interchangeably with lick one's fingers, now seldom heard. The first also served as 1930s jazz slang for warming up, chops meaning “the jaw or mouth” (a usage dating from the 1300s).