chap
nounverbnounnounnounnouncommon in dialogue
- //t͡ʃæp//
A man, a fellow.
noun
- 1
A man, a fellow.
Who’s that chap over there?
“Now when I was a little chap I had a passion for maps.”
A chap named Eleazir Kendrick and I had chummed in together the summer afore and built a fish-weir and shanty at Setuckit Point, down Orham way. For a spell we done pretty well.
‘No. I only opened the door a foot and put my head in. The street lamps shine into that room. I could see him. He was all right. Sleeping like a great grampus. Poor, poor chap.’
- 2
A customer, a buyer.
If you have Blacks of any kind, brought in of late; Mantoes--Velvet Scarfs--Petticoats--Let it be what it will--I am your Chap--for all my Ladies are very fond of Mourning.
- 3
A child.
Etymology
Clipping of chapman (“dealer, customer”) in 16th-century English.
verb
- 1
Of the skin, to split or flake due to cold weather or dryness.
- 2
To cause to open in slits or chinks; to split; to cause the skin of to crack or become rough.
Then would unbalanced heat licentious reign, / Crack the dry hill, and chap the russet plain.
whose fair face neither the summer's blaze can scorch nor winter's blast chap.
- 3
To strike, knock.
And then it seems that through the open door there came the chapping of a clock.
The door was shut into my class. I had to chap it and then Miss Rankine came and opened it and gived me an angry look […]
Etymology
From Middle English chappen (“to split open, burst, chap”), of uncertain origin. Compare Middle English choppen (“to chop”), Dutch kappen (“to cut, chop, hack”). Perhaps related to chip.
noun
- 1
A cleft, crack, or chink, as in the surface of the earth, or in the skin.
- 2
obsoleteA division; a breach, as in a party.
Many clefts and chaps in our council board.
- 3
A blow; a rap.
noun
- 1
archaicThe jaw.
This wide-chapp'd rascal—would thou might'st lie drowning / The washing of ten tides!
His chaps were all besmear'd with crimson blood.
He unseamed him from the nave to the chaps.
- 2
One of the jaws or cheeks of a vice, etc.
Etymology
From Northern English chafts (“jaws”). Compare also Middle English cheppe (“one side of the jaw, chap”).
noun
- 1
Variant of chopobsoleteObsolete form of chop (“Asian seal used on documents”).
noun
- 1
Variant of chapterClipping of chapter (“division of a text”).
Etymology
Shortening.
Forms
- plural
- chaps
- past tense
- chapped
- past participle
- chapped
- present participle
- chapping
- third person singular
- chaps