About to chop and bite (4)
I believe the answer is:
chew
'bite' is the definition.
(chew is a kind of bite)
'about to chop' is the wordplay.
'about' becomes 'c' (abbreviation for 'circa').
'to chop' becomes 'hew' (I've seen this in other clues**).
'c'+'hew'='CHEW'
'and' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for chew that I've seen before include "Ruminate" , "Try to eat" , "Bite repeatedly" , "bit of tobacco" , "Prepare to swallow" .)