2. To do otherwise. "Can I choose but smile?" Pope.
Can not choose but,
must necessarily.
Thou canst not choose but know who I am.
Shak.
Chooser
(Choos"er) n. One who chooses; one who has the power or right of choosing; an elector. Burke.
Chop
(Chop) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Chopped ; p. pr. & vb. n. Chopping.] [Cf. LG. & D. kappen, Dan.
kappe, Sw. kappa. Cf. Chap to crack.]
1. To cut by striking repeatedly with a sharp instrument; to cut into pieces; to mince; — often with up.
2. To sever or separate by one more blows of a sharp instrument; to divide; — usually with off or down.
Chop off your hand, and it to the king.
Shak.
3. To seize or devour greedily; — with up. [Obs.]
Upon the opening of his mouth he drops his breakfast, which the fox presently chopped up.
L'estrange.
Chop
(Chop) v. i.
1. To make a quick strike, or repeated strokes, with an ax or other sharp instrument.
2. To do something suddenly with an unexpected motion; to catch or attempt to seize.
Out of greediness to get both, he chops at the shadow, and loses the substance.
L'Estrange.
3. To interrupt; — with in or out.
This fellow interrupted the sermon, even suddenly chopping in.
Latimer.
Chop
(Chop), v. t. [Cf. D. koopen to buy. See Cheapen, v. t., and cf. Chap, v. i., to buy.]
1. To barter or truck.
2. To exchange; substitute one thing for another.
We go on chopping and changing our friends.
L'Estrange.
To chop logic,
to dispute with an affected use of logical terms; to argue sophistically.
Chop
(Chop), v. i.
1. To purchase by way of truck.
2. (Naut.) To vary or shift suddenly; as, the wind chops about.
3. To wrangle; to altercate; to bandy words.
Let not the counsel at the bar chop with the judge.
Bacon.
Chop
(Chop), n. A change; a vicissitude. Marryat.
Chop
(Chop), v. t. & i. To crack. See Chap, v. t. & i.
Chop
(Chop), n.