Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun plural Heavy leather trousers without a seat, worn over ordinary trousers by ranch hands to protect their legs.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • An abbreviated form of chaparejos.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun plural The jaws, or the fleshy parts about them. See chap.
  • noun plural colloq. Short for chaparajos.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Plural form of chap.
  • verb Third-person singular simple present indicative form of chap.
  • noun Protective leather leggings attached at the waist.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Short for American Spanish chaparreras, from Spanish chaparro, chaparral; see chaparral.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From chap.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Short for American Spanish chaparreras.

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Examples

  • He always wore a strange mixture of civilized and savage clothes – fringed buckskin "chaps," beaded moccasins, a blue flannel shirt, a scarlet silk handkerchief knotted around his throat, a wide-brimmed cowboy hat with a rattlesnake skin as a

    The Shagganappi 1913

  • Then his fringed buckskin "chaps" went; in their place a pair of dreadful grey cloth trousers.

    The Shagganappi 1913

  • Soon after, outfitted in chaps and riding gloves supplied by the concierge, I was trotting through fields of alfalfa atop a fat, spotted mare.

    High Plains Drifting 2010

  • The chaps from the University of Rutland at Belvoir push their glasses up their noses.

    Liveblogging The Rotten State of Britain quiz draw 2009

  • A group of horsemen in chaps and buckskin coats thunders up atop black-and-white steeds.

    Thai Noon 2008

  • I think a pair of their chaps is in my future, and I expect my next wallet will be one of theirs.

    Waldo Jaquith - My Virginia belt. 2008

  • A group of horsemen in chaps and buckskin coats thunders up atop black-and-white steeds.

    Thai Noon 2008

  • A group of horsemen in chaps and buckskin coats thunders up atop black-and-white steeds.

    Thai Noon 2008

  • I am increasingly wondering if perhaps a few chaps from the army say might like to suggest to her majesty that she dispense with parliament altogether.

    Religious Intolerance is a Good Thing Newmania 2007

  • Yep … my hero a man who hangs over head in chaps farting on everyone!

    Death pool: David Lee Roth and Joel Hollander « BuzzMachine 2006

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