chap

¹

[ chap ]

verb (used with object)

, chapped, chap·ping.

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.

verb (used without object)

, chapped, chap·ping.

1. to become chapped.

noun

1. a fissure or crack, especially in the skin.
2. Scot. a knock; rap.

chap

²

[ chap ]

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.

chap

³

[ chop, chap ]

noun

1. Usually chaps. chop ³( def 1 ).

chap.

⁴

or Chap.

abbreviation for

1. Chaplain.
2. chapter.

chap

¹

/ tʃɒp; tʃæp /

noun

1. a less common word for chop 3

chap.

²

abbreviation for

1. chaplain
2. chapter

chap

³

/ tʃæp /

noun

1. informal.
   a man or boy; fellow

chap

⁴

/ 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)

noun

1. usually plural a cracked or sore patch on the skin caused by chapping
2. a knock

Other Words From

• un·chapped adjective

Word History and Origins

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 none

Origin of chap³

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of chap¹

C16 (in the sense: buyer): shortened from chapman

Origin of chap²

C14: probably of Germanic origin; compare Middle Dutch, German kappen to chop off

Example Sentences

Worry not—whether your first attempt is a notebook cover or some fringey pair of chaps, we’ve collected all the basics you’ll need to know.

From Popular-Science

Sure, you may call this petty, but it really does chap my hide!

From The Daily Beast

Little wiry chap, with silvery hair, bright brown eyes and plenty of wrinkles.

From The Daily Beast

He survived a penniless childhood and a brutal war and emerged by all accounts an admirable chap.

From The Daily Beast

Then, handing me back my iPad, he said nonchalantly in a really good mock-English accent, “Sorry, chap, my dance card is full.”

From The Daily Beast

Just minutes earler, a chap wearing a Prince William mask tried to gain entry to the hospital via the main entrance.

From The Daily Beast

And since he was a very fast runner—for short distances—he met Grandfather Mole just as the old chap was crawling up the bank.

From Project Gutenberg

A groom is a chap, that a gentleman keeps to clean his 'osses, and be blown up, when things go wrong.

From Project Gutenberg

But he watched Grandfather Mole narrowly, with a grin on his face, to see what the old chap would do.

From Project Gutenberg

The strenuous efforts made by the Spaniards to secure their release are fully referred to in Chap.

From Project Gutenberg

"No, old chap," I answered, pulling the long ears gently till he smiled.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bloke
• lad