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Glite Dictionary
to lop

to lop

9 4.2
Cut off branches to make a tree or plant tidy and healthy
  • verb
  • /lɑp/
: podar
  • And so I looked out and there was Michael Gizzy in the tree, up in the tree with a chainsaw lopping off the the dead branches.

And so I looked out and there was Michael Gizzy in the tree, up in the tree with a chainsaw lopping off the the dead branches.

Examples

  • Why can't he cut down the whole tree instead of lopping off the branches?

  • To keep the tree healthy, you need to lop off any dead branches each spring.

  • His brief was to lop off a chunk of hair.

    Nobody Waved Goodbye (1964)

  • In the late winter, gardeners often lop back overgrown hedges to encourage new growth.

  • After the storm, she went outside to lop the damaged limbs from the fallen tree.

Synonyms

to trim
vsto lop
145 2.6

Cut something to make it smaller or neater

is specifically about cutting plant parts to tidy or support growth
to clip
vsto lop
107 1.6

To cut hair or plants shorter with scissors

is specifically about cutting plant parts to tidy or help growth
to sever
vsto lop
74 5.6

To cut something completely away from a larger thing with a knife or tool

is gentler and routine, aimed at tidying or helping plant growth
to prune
vsto lop
18 3.4

Cut branches and stems from a plant to help it grow and keep its shape

is broader, meaning general cutting to tidy or help growth
to cut back
vsto lop
18 3.9

To trim stems or branches so a plant grows better

is a general cut that tidies or helps growth rather than planned shaping
to lop off
vsto lop
14 4.6

To cut a part from something with one quick move

is similar but refers to routine branch removal to tidy or help growth
to crop
vsto lop
2 2.3

To cut back plants to make them grow better

focuses on cutting plant parts mainly to tidy or encourage growth now
to top
vsto lop
1 4.1

To cut the upper part off a tree or bush

is broader, cutting any branches or parts to tidy or aid growth
to limb
vsto lop
1 7.9

To cut the branches off a tree, often after it is cut down

is done on live plants to tidy them or help them grow
to poll
vsto lop
  • Specialized
1 8.3

To cut off the top of a tree or branch

is the general act of removing branches or parts to tidy plants

Antonyms

to grow
371 1.0

Plant and care for crops or plants for food

to nurture
152 3.5

To care for and encourage someone or something to grow

Phrasal Verbs

to lop off
14 4.6

To cut a part from something with one quick move

How Much

to cut down
69 1.9
to lop
9 4.2
to trim
145 2.6
to prune
18 3.4

Surface Forms

lop infinitive
lopped past
lopped past participle
lopping present participle
lops third person singular

Etymology

Lop is an old English word that means 'to cut off', and a helpful way to remember it is to picture one quick, strong cut that removes a branch. So, when you lop a tree you are simply trimming or cutting away parts to tidy it or help it grow.