chopstick

noun

1. (plural-normally)An East Asian eating utensil usually used as a pair and held in one hand to grip pieces of food or occasionally to mix liquids or scoop up small pieces of food. The utensil is a stick, usually made of wood and measuring approximately 23 cm (10 inches) in length.

   “All the Tonquineses keep many of these Sticks in their Houses, as well for their own use, as to entertain Strangers at meals: they are as ordinarily placed at the Table here, as Knives, Forks, and Spoons are in England: and a man that cannot dextrously handle these instruments, makes but an odd figure at their Tables. The richer sort of people, especially the Mandarins, have them tipt with Silver. In China also these things are constantly used: they are called by the English Seamen Chopsticks.”

   “These Sticks are called by the Chinese Quay-tse, and by some of our Voyagers Chopsticks, which they manage so dexterously that they can take up a grain of rice with them.”

   “When not used, the chopsticks must be laid on the table, side by side, exactly pointing away from the individual[.]”

   “We ate chow-chow with chop-sticks in the celestial restaurants; […]”

2. (ethnic, slur)An Asian person.

   “When was in Hampshire the other day, a chop-stick, who came to my lodging to talk to me about the mode of harvesting and preserving the corn, and who soon diverged into a talk about the Reform Bill, said, "And this cholera morbus, sir, don't you think it's a sort of a shoshoy to frighten us out of the Reform?"”

   “Every horse you possess having no action, or which a day's journey would knock up, (to be found in lots far more numerous than the Chinamen as yet,) ought to be turned out to fatten; when plump, take the animal into the nearest station, occupied by these chopsticks.”

   “"How cool is that, Chong? Wolverine is in the house." "Wolver this, you chopstick."”

3. (obsolete)A long straight stick forming part of various fishing tackle arrangements.

   “I pray pardon me for that Capt' Adams' hast to goe downe causeth me to be breefer then I would, wishing you to luffe as fast as you can in the heigh of hogg faces, for these climates of Meaco yeald nothinge but shirrow & chopp-stickes.”

   “The Fisherman has a Line of 90 Fathom long, or more, with a Lead at the end of it called a Deep-sea-lead, of about 6 or 7 pounds weight, to sink it; above which is a cross-stick, termed a Chop-stick, with 2 Lines and Hooks at them, with Baits[.]”

   “The spreader is passed through the hole in the sinker, c, until its centre is reached, when the edges of the holes must be closed in tightly with a small hammer, which will, if properly done, retain the spreader securely in its place. This arrangement is generally known amongst fishermen as a set of "chop-sticks."”

   “One great advantage of this rig is that the lead and its appendage are always hauled up endways, thus offering less opposition to the water than those fitted with the different chop-sticks.”

verb

1. (ambitransitive, informal)To pick up (food), or eat, using chopsticks, or as with chopsticks.

   “Then, holding his plate close to his mouth, he chopsticked it in with his fork, and, with tremendous gusto, called for more.”

   “For a while I chopsticked in silence. Gathering up loose grains of rice between the points of two small sticks is a job requiring absolute quiet and concentration.”

   “Though the fingers weakened and Ernest almost starved between bites, the old Walsh pride stood firm and refused to allow him to admit that he’d made a mistake and would rather use a fork. An hour later, when the others left, Ernest was still painstakingly chopsticking.”

   “She chopsticked her millet and beans from the same cans as people she knew were consumptive[.]”