chop-chop

intj

Etymology

From Chinese Pidgin English, from Cantonese 速速 (cuk1 cuk1, “quick”). Recorded in English since the 1830s (see citations for adverb). Recorded as a Chinese term in 1795.

derived from 速速 — “quick”

Definitions

1
Used to urge someone to do something quickly.
- (Singapore) chop-chop kalipok
2
Quickly.
- "Well, more soon, more better; sendee chop chop," I told him.
- "Sam, when you have catchee chow-chow, I want you chop-chop" (quickly).
- ‘And another beer! But cold this time, hear that, boy? Muchee coldee, and bring it chop chop.’
3
Tobacco that is produced and sold without excise (tax), and therefore cheap and illegal.
- We are here today to try and do the impossible: to stop the chop chop industry.
- 2002 November 11, Major ‘chop chop’ seizure in Northern Queensland, Australian Taxation Office, media release.
- Attitudes to tobacco mean it′s virtually sold under the counter (and we′re not talking about ‘chop chop’).

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for chop-chop. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA