Lopping

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈlɒpɪŋ/

Definitions

1. The practice of severing branches from a tree or shrub to promote growth or improve its shape is commonly employed in horticulture
2. This technique involves cutting off excess limbs to enhance the health and appearance of a plant or tree
3. The act of removing branches from a tree or shrub to manage its growth and form

Etymology: "Lopping" is the verb "lop" with the suffix "-ing" added, and the two parts have quite different histories. "Lop" appears in Middle English as "loppe," which traces back to Old English and is related to ideas of cutting off or chopping away, so the word's core sense has stayed remarkably stable for centuries: removing something by cutting it from its attachment. The "-ing" ending is the more ancient piece. It descends from a Proto-Germanic suffix, passed down through Old English as "-ung" and then Middle English "-ynge," gradually softening into the "-ing" familiar today. Its job was to turn an action into a noun or a continuing activity, so "lopping" describes the ongoing business of cutting, which is why gardeners speak of lopping a hedge or a tree.

Synonyms: trimming, pruning

Antonyms: growing