Chop at Definition 1 of 2Pro Tip 1/3Physical Action Represents actual, often forceful, physical cutting motions. She was chopping at the thick ice on the sidewalk. Pro Tip 2/3Persistence Needed Used to suggest persistent effort is required to break through something. Keep chopping at that coconut shell to reach the inside. Pro Tip 3/3Not Precision Implies a lack of precision or finesse, typically more brute force. He kept chopping at the vegetables, leaving uneven pieces.