Etymology Clipping of chapman (“dealer, customer”) in 16th-century English.
1
A man, a fellow.
Dated outside UK and Australia
Who’s that chap over there?
“Now when I was a little chap I had a passion for maps.”1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 194:
2 more examples
A chap named Eleazir Kendrick and I had chummed in together the summer afore and built a fish-weir and shanty at Setuckit Point, down Orham way. For a spell we done pretty well.1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter I, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
‘No. I only opened the door a foot and put my head in. The street lamps shine into that room. I could see him. He was all right. Sleeping like a great grampus. Poor, poor chap.’1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 20, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
If you have Blacks of any kind, brought in of late; Mantoes--Velvet Scarfs--Petticoats--Let it be what it will--I am your Chap--for all my Ladies are very fond of Mourning.1728, John Gay, The Beggar's Opera, Act 3:
Etymology From Middle English chappen (“to split open, burst, chap”), of uncertain origin. Compare Middle English choppen (“to chop”), Dutch kappen (“to cut, chop, hack”). Perhaps related to chip.
1
Of the skin, to split or flake due to cold weather or dryness.
2
To cause to open in slits or chinks; to split; to cause the skin of to crack or become rough.
Then would unbalanced heat licentious reign, / Crack the dry hill, and chap the russet plain.1712, Richard Blackmore, Creation: A Philosophical Poem:
whose fair face neither the summer's blaze can scorch nor winter's blast chap.1591, John Lyly, Endymion:
And then it seems that through the open door there came the chapping of a clock.1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:
The door was shut into my class. I had to chap it and then Miss Rankine came and opened it and gived me an angry look […]2008, James Kelman, Kieron Smith, Boy, Penguin, published 2009, page 35:
Etymology From Middle English chappen (“to split open, burst, chap”), of uncertain origin. Compare Middle English choppen (“to chop”), Dutch kappen (“to cut, chop, hack”). Perhaps related to chip.
1
A cleft, crack, or chink, as in the surface of the earth, or in the skin.
Many clefts and chaps in our council board.1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI):
This wide-chapp'd rascal—would thou might'st lie drowning / The washing of ten tides!1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
His chaps were all besmear'd with crimson blood.a. 1667, Abraham Cowley, The Song:
1 more example
He unseamed him from the nave to the chaps.c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]: