Cared to chop wood (5)
I believe the answer is:
cedar
'wood' is the definition.
(cedar is a kind of wood)
'cared to chop' is the wordplay.
'to chop' indicates an anagram (I've seen 'chopped' mean this (letters chopped or smashed up)).
'cared' with letters rearranged gives 'CEDAR'.
(Other definitions for cedar that I've seen before include "Raced around noble tree" , "Tree giving fragrant wood" , "representative of Lebanon?" , "Leaving body" , "Raced around a mighty tree" .)