choppy
/'tʃɔpi/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Of water, especially the sea: Having many small, rough, and irregular waves; not smooth or calm.
- Of style, speech, or rhythm: Characterized by abrupt, disconnected, or uneven flow; lacking smoothness or continuity.
Usage and Examples
- Describing water conditions:
- The boat trip was uncomfortable due to the choppy water.
- Winds from the east made the harbor choppy.
- Describing communication or artistic style:
- The film's editing was criticized for its choppy narrative.
- His choppy delivery made the lecture difficult to follow.
Advanced Usage and Nuances
- Technical/Descriptive Use: Often used in maritime contexts (e.g., sailing, fishing reports) to describe specific sea states that are rougher than "slight" but less severe than "rough."
- The forecast warns of choppy conditions for small craft.
- Figurative/Critical Use: Applied critically to writing, music, film editing, or speech that feels disjointed.
- The transition between scenes felt awkward and choppy.
Variants and Related Words
- Choppily (adverb): In a choppy manner.
- The video streamed choppily due to poor internet.
- Choppiness (noun): The state or quality of being choppy.
- The choppiness of the market made investors nervous.
Synonyms
- For water: rough, turbulent, bumpy, agitated.
- For style: jerky, disjointed, staccato, uneven, halting, fragmented.
Antonyms
- For water: calm, smooth, placid, glassy.
- For style: smooth, fluid, flowing, seamless, coherent.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- Choppy waters: Literally refers to rough sea conditions. Figuratively, it can describe a period of difficulty, instability, or trouble.
- The company is sailing through choppy waters this quarter.
- Choppy editing: A specific term in film and video criticism describing abrupt, poorly connected cuts.
- The documentary suffered from choppy editing that confused the timeline.
Adjective
- rough with small waves
- choppy seas
- marked by abrupt transitions
- choppy prose