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Chop vs Shorten - What's the difference?

chop | shorten |

As a noun chop

is garbage, trash can.

As a verb shorten is

to make shorter; to abbreviate.

chop

English

Etymology 1

(etyl) choppen, variant of (only attested in compounds). More at (l).

Noun

(en noun)
  • A cut of meat, often containing a section of a rib.
  • *1957 , :
  • *:I was standing at the meat counter, waiting for some rib lamb chops to be cut.
  • A blow with an axe, cleaver, or similar utensil.
  • (martial arts) A blow delivered with the hand rigid and outstretched.
  • Ocean waves, generally caused by wind, distinguished from swell by being smaller and not lasting as long.
  • (poker) A hand where two or more players have an equal-valued hand, resulting in the chips being shared equally between them.
  • Termination, especially from employment.
  • (dated) A crack or cleft; a chap.
  • Synonyms
    * axe, pink slip, sack

    Verb

  • To cut into pieces with short, vigorous cutting motions.
  • chop wood
    chop an onion
  • To sever with an axe or similar implement.
  • Chop off his head.
  • (baseball) To hit the ball downward so that it takes a high bounce.
  • (poker) To divide the pot (or tournament prize) between two or more players.
  • To do something suddenly with an unexpected motion; to catch or attempt to seize.
  • * L'Estrange
  • Out of greediness to get both, he chops at the shadow, and loses the substance.
  • To interrupt; with in'' or ''out .
  • * Latimer
  • This fellow interrupted the sermon, even suddenly chopping in.

    Derived terms

    * chop chop * chopper * chopping board * chop logic * chops * chopstick * choppy * karate chop * try out one's own chops

    Etymology 2

    Of uncertain origin, perhaps a variant of (chap).

    Verb

  • (obsolete) To exchange, to barter; to swap.
  • * 1644 , (John Milton), Aeropagitica :
  • this is not to put down Prelaty, this is but to chop an Episcopacy; this is but to translate the Palace Metropolitan'' from one kind of dominion into another, this is but an old canonicall sleight of ''commuting our penance.
  • * L'Estrange
  • We go on chopping and changing our friends.
  • To chap or crack.
  • (nautical) To vary or shift suddenly.
  • The wind chops about.
  • To wrangle; to altercate; to bandy words.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • Let not the counsel at the bar chop with the judge.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (mostly, in the plural) A jaw of an animal.
  • A movable jaw or cheek, as of a vice.
  • The land at each side of the mouth of a river, harbour, or channel.
  • East Chop'''; West '''Chop
  • A change; a vicissitude.
  • (Marryat)

    Etymology 3

    (etyl)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An official stamp or seal.
  • Mark indicating nature, quality, or brand.
  • silk of the first chop
    Derived terms
    * chop dollar * chop of tea * grand chop

    Etymology 4

    Shortening.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (internet) An IRC channel operator.
  • * 1996 , Peter Ludlow, High Noon on the Electronic Frontier (page 404)
  • IRC supports mechanisms for the enforcement of acceptable behaviour on IRC. Channel operators — "chanops" or "chops " — have access to the /kick command, which throws a specified user out of the given channel.
    Synonyms
    * chanop * op ----

    shorten

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make shorter; to abbreviate.
  • * 1877 , (Anna Sewell), (Black Beauty) Chapter 22[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Black_Beauty/22]
  • York came round to our heads and shortened the rein himself, one hole I think; every little makes a difference, be it for better or worse, and that day we had a steep hill to go up.
  • To become shorter.
  • To make deficient (as to); to deprive (of).
  • * Dryden
  • Spoiled of his nose, and shortened of his ears.
  • To make short or friable, as pastry, with butter, lard, etc.
  • To reduce or diminish in amount, quantity, or extent; to lessen.
  • to shorten an allowance of food
  • * Dryden
  • Here, where the subject is so fruitful, I am shortened by my chain.
  • (nautical) To take in the slack of (a rope).
  • (nautical) To reduce (sail) by taking it in.
  • Synonyms

    * See also .

    Antonyms

    * lengthen