chap

¹ American  

[chap] / tʃæp /

verb (used with object)

chapped, chapping

1. to crack, roughen, and redden (the skin).

   The windy, cold weather chapped her lips.

2. to cause (the ground, wood, etc.) to split, crack, or open in clefts.

   The summer heat and drought chapped the riverbank.

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verb (used without object)

chapped, chapping

1. to become chapped.

noun

1. a fissure or crack, especially in the skin.

2. Scot. a knock; rap.

chap ² American  

[chap] / tʃæp /

noun

1. Chiefly British Informal: Older Use. a fellow; man or boy.

2. Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S. a baby or young child.

3. British Dialect. a customer.

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chap ³ American  

[chop, chap] / tʃɒp, tʃæp /

noun

1. Usually chaps chop.

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chap. ⁴ American  

Or Chap.

abbreviation

1. Chaplain.

2. chapter.

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chap ¹ British  

/ tʃæp /

verb

1. (of the skin) to make or become raw and cracked, esp by exposure to cold

2. (of a clock) to strike (the hour)

3. to knock (at a door, window, etc)

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noun

1. (usually plural) a cracked or sore patch on the skin caused by chapping

2. a knock

chap. ² British  

abbreviation

1. chaplain

2. chapter

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chap ³ British  

/ tʃæp /

noun

1. informal a man or boy; fellow

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chap ⁴ British  

/ tʃɒp, tʃæp /

noun

1. a less common word for chop 3

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Other Word Forms

• unchapped adjective

Etymology

Origin of chap¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English chappen “(of a fruit) to split open, burst; (of skin) to crack, chap”; cognate with Dutch kappen “to cut”; akin to chip ¹

Origin of chap²

First recorded in 1570–80; short for chapman

Origin of chap³

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English chop, chappe “jaw, jawbone”; perhaps special use of chap ¹

Explanation

A chap is a guy or a fellow — a boy or man who's a friend, acquaintance, or a friendly stranger. You might ask a chap on the bus if the seat beside him is free. You can refer to any male person as a chap, and you can also address him that way: "Hello there, old chap! I haven't seen you in ages!" It's more common in Britain than the US, where the chap will know what you mean but might look at you oddly. Chaps also means a cowboy's leather pants, and when it's a verb chap means to become dry, cracked, and painful from wind or cold.

Example Sentences

As an honest broker from the moderate left, notwithstanding his Trump fixation, Mr. Traub may be the chap to get the message across.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026

But this stammering, rather dull chap doesn’t come across as a genius.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 25, 2025

"He is just as funny off stage as he is on stage, a great chap, I like him," said David.

From BBC • Jan. 17, 2025

"I don't like this Musk chap," says Gloria Jane Martin.

From BBC • Jan. 11, 2025

What was it the butler chap was saying?

From "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie

Related Words

• bloke
• lad