chop (redirected from chopping off)

chop (someone or something) (up) (into something)

to cut something up into something smaller, perhaps with an axe or a cleaver. The butcher chopped up the beef loin into small fillets. I chopped up the onion into little pieces.

chop someone off

Fig. to stop someone in the middle of a sentence or speech. (Abruptly, as if actually chopping or cutting.) I'm not finished. Don't chop me off! The moderator chopped off the speaker.

chop something back

to prune vegetation; to reduce the size of plants by cutting. Why don't you chop those bushes back while you have the shears out? Chop back the bushes, please.

See also: back

chop something down 

1. Lit. to cut down something, such as a tree, with an ax. Please don't chop my favorite tree down. Don't chop down this tree!

2. Fig. to destroy something, such as a plan or an idea. The committee chopped the idea down in its early stages. They chopped down a great idea!

chop something off (of) something and chop something off

to cut something off something, as with an axe or saw. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) We chopped the dead branches off the tree. You should chop off the other branch.

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chop and change  (British & Australian)

to keep changing what you do or what you plan to do, often in a way that is confusing and annoying for other people After six months of chopping and changing, we've decided to go back to our old system.

See also: and, change

Chop chop!  (British & Australian informal)

something that you say in order to tell someone to hurry Come on, chop chop, up to bed!

get the chop  also be given the chop

1. (British informal) if a person gets the chop, they lose their job Anyone who argued with the foreman was liable to be given the chop.

2. (British informal) if a plan or a service gets the chop, it is stopped Our local bus service got the chop, so I have to walk to work or use the car.

See also: get