chip on one's shoulder

chip on one's shoulder
a) A form of challenge, in the same spirit as a medieval knight throwing down his gauntlet.

‘Oh! if I only could get him to knock a chip off my shoulder, and so get round the law, I would give him one of the soundest thrashings he ever had.’

b) A habitually combative attitude, usually because of a harboured grievance, sense of inferiority, or having something to prove.

Leland, in his last issue, struts out with a chip on his shoulder, and dares Bush to knock it off.


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  • chip on one's shoulder — phrasal Etymology: so called fr. the allusion to a chip of wood placed on the shoulder to be knocked off as a challenge to fight : a challenging or bellicose attitude * * * chip on one s shoulder 1. An aggressively defiant manner, as if daring… …   Useful english dictionary

  • chip on one's shoulder — idi chip on one s shoulder, an antagonistic or quarrelsome disposition …   From formal English to slang

  • chip on one's shoulder — {n. phr.}, {informal} A quarrelsome nature; readiness to be angered. * /He went through life with a chip on his shoulder./ * /Jim often gets into fights because he goes around with a chip on his shoulder./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • chip on one's shoulder — {n. phr.}, {informal} A quarrelsome nature; readiness to be angered. * /He went through life with a chip on his shoulder./ * /Jim often gets into fights because he goes around with a chip on his shoulder./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • chip\ on\ one's\ shoulder — n. phr. informal A quarrelsome nature; readiness to be angered. He went through life with a chip on his shoulder. Jim often gets into fights because he goes around with a chip on his shoulder …   Словарь американских идиом

  • a chip on one's shoulder — ► a chip on one s shoulder informal a deeply ingrained grievance. Main Entry: ↑chip …   English terms dictionary

  • chip on one's shoulder — phrasal a challenging or belligerent attitude …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • chip on one's shoulder — aggressive and combative attitude, belligerence …   English contemporary dictionary

  • chip on one's shoulder, have a —  Bear a grudge, either for a particular reason or against the world in general …   A concise dictionary of English slang

  • a chip on one's shoulder — informal a deeply ingrained grievance. → chip …   English new terms dictionary

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