What does the expression chomping at the bit mean?
Webster’s says “champ at the bit” is to “show impatience at restraint; be restless.” It comes from something said about horses when they bite their bits “repeatedly and restlessly.” They “champ.”
Which is correct chomping or champing at the bit?
The original phrase is, indeed, champing at the bit, but chomping at the bit emerged in America in the 1930s according to the Oxford English Dictionary and chomp has overtaken champ in common use.
What is a synonym for chomp?
chew, crunch (on), gnaw (on), masticate, nibble.
Where did the term chomping at the bit come from?
The phrase “champ at the bit” is stated to have originated from “Joseph: A Religious Poem” by Charles Lucas published in 1810 where it has been used as: “Twelve beauteous steeds, of golden color and with golden manes, champ at the bit.” The second reference has been found in The Decatur Daily Review in its publication …
What does the word chomping mean?
Definition of chomp intransitive verb. 1 : to chew or bite on something. 2 : champ sense 2 —usually used in the phrase chomping at the bit. transitive verb. : to chew or bite on.
Is chomping at the bit offensive?
It’s champing at the bit, not chomping at the bit. But it can grind his teeth or jaw against the bit, and if it does, it means that the horse is either nervous, or really excited about racing. That’s how the phrase “champing at the bit” entered everyday communications: to indicate extreme eagerness.
What is the synonym of bite?
OTHER WORDS FOR bite 1 gnaw, chew, nip. 22 mouthful, morsel, taste; scrap, crumb, dab.
What’s the definition of champing?
1 : to make biting or gnashing movements. 2 : to show impatience of delay or restraint —usually used in the phrase champing at the bit he was champing at the bit to begin.
Is chomping an adjective?
Examples of chomping Some of these examples may show the adjective use. Fin has his trademarked chomping where he bites the heads of fans. It has some functionality to accept a folded leaf food and move its jaw and make appropriate chomping noises.
Had bit or had bitten?
bit. Bit forms the simple past tense of the verb bite. Both bit and bitten can form the past participle, although bitten is standard and much more common in contemporary English. Bit still appears as a participle in certain set phrases, like bit his tongue or bit her lip.
