chop vs kerf

chop

verb
  • To cut into pieces with short, vigorous cutting motions. 

  • To make a quick, heavy stroke or a series of strokes, with or as with an ax. 

  • To hit the ball downward so that it takes a high bounce. 

  • To vary or shift suddenly. 

  • To remove the final character from (a text string). 

  • To interrupt; with in or out. 

  • to give a downward cutting blow or movement, typically with the side of the hand. 

  • To stab. 

  • To converse, discuss, or speak with another. 

  • To stamp or seal (a document); to mark, impress or otherwise place a design or symbol on paper or other material, usually, but not necessarily, to indicate authenticity. 

  • To divide the pot (or tournament prize) between two or more players. 

  • To do something suddenly with an unexpected motion; to catch or attempt to seize. 

  • To sever with an axe or similar implement. 

  • To seal a license or passport. 

  • To chap or crack. 

noun
  • A movable jaw or cheek, as of a vice. 

  • A complete shipment. 

  • A license or passport that has been sealed. 

  • The device used for stamping or sealing, which also contains the design to be imprinted. 

  • A blow with an axe, cleaver, or similar utensil. 

  • A hand where two or more players have an equal-valued hand, resulting in the chips being shared equally between them. 

  • A stamp or seal; a mark, imprint or impression on a document (or other object or material) made by stamping or sealing a design with ink or wax, respectively, or by other methods. 

  • Ocean waves, generally caused by wind, distinguished from swell by being smaller and not lasting as long. 

  • A woodchopping competition. 

  • A cut of meat, often containing a section of a rib. 

  • Termination, especially from employment; the sack. 

  • A blow delivered with the hand rigid and outstretched. 

  • A mark indicating nature, quality, or brand. 

  • A turn of fortune; change; a vicissitude. 

  • A jaw of an animal. 

  • An IRC channel operator. 

  • The land at each side of the mouth of a river, harbour, or channel. 

kerf

verb
  • To cut a piece of wood or other material with several kerfs to allow it to be bent. 

noun
  • The portion or quantity (e.g. of wood, hay, turf, wool, etc.) removed or cut off in a given stroke. 

  • The distance between diverging saw teeth. 

  • The flattened, cut-off end of a branch or tree; a stump or sawn-off cross-section. 

  • The groove or slit created by cutting or sawing something; an incision. 

How often have the words chop and kerf occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )