General
beat up the chops
What does beat up the chops mean?
To converse or discuss, with a sense of lively back-and-forth.
"We were beating up the chops about the new band all night."
Origin
1930s-40s Harlem jive slang, listed in Cab Calloway's 'Hepster's Dictionary.' 'Chops' meant the mouth or jaw (also a musician's lip technique), so 'beating up the chops' meant working the mouth, that is, talking.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'beat up the chops' mean?
It means to talk a lot or chatter, to run your mouth.
Where did 'beat up the chops' come from?
From 1930s-40s Harlem jive, found in Cab Calloway's 'Hepster's Dictionary'; 'chops' meant the mouth.
What are 'chops' in jazz slang?
Originally the mouth or jaw, and among musicians a player's lip strength and technique on a horn.
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Vocabulary Flow — saved to your collection.
