Which do you use: champing/chomping at the bit?
- Thread starter BigDaddyLH
- Start date
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sixstringbastard
Friend of Leo's
Champ
Chomp
Chimp
Chomp
Chimp
Women get "weary", they don't get "woolly".
And horses "champ" at the bit, they don't "chomp" at the bit.
The phrase "chomp at the bit" is an eggcorn, like "old wives' tale" is.[/QUOTE]
Now dats an awesome word!
Guitarzan
Poster Extraordinaire
How bouta chimp chompin' on a Champ?
Since this has come up a few times...
champing at the bit: waiting in an impatient way to do something
I have searched for "chafing at the bit" (and chaffing...) in a dog pile of dictionaries, and it is in none of them:
https://www.onelook.com/?w=chafing+at+the+bit&ls=a
carpenter
Tele-Afflicted
Chomp
JSMac
Tele-Afflicted
Champing, originally. Chomping acceptable now. Pretty simple but I say champing because that's what my wife says I should say because she should know, I guess. 
Last edited:
chezdeluxe
Doctor of Teleocity
Champing or Chafing at the bit heard throughout my life in Australia. Never ever ever Chomping.
Here is a dictionary reference for Chafing at the bit.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/chafing-at-the-bit
and another for Chafe at the bit
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/chafe-at-the-bit
AndyPanda
Tele-Holic
Champing at the bit ... my old stamping grounds
Champ or chomp it matters not the horse is long dead, yet is being flogged still. What say you?
jerry reed sez 'chomp, chomp, chomp' in the venerable tale of Amos Moses.
Yeah and Tony Joe White sang chomp chomp in Polk Salad Annie, but I ain't never heard of no 'gator wearin' no bit.
scooteraz
Friend of Leo's
From Merriam Webster
In other words, a difference lacking distinction.
BTW, where I grew up it was chomp, but when I moved to AZ, I heard more champ. But since they are synonymous, even to the point of MW dictionary using the word “chomp” to define the word “champ” and vice versa, I think we can say either is correct.
champ
verb
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\ ˈchamp , ˈchämp, ˈchȯmp \
champed; champing; champs
Definition of champ
(Entry 1 of 2)
transitive verb
1: CHOMP
2: MASH, TRAMPLE
intransitive verb
1: to make biting or gnashing movements
2: to show impatience of delay or restraint —usually used in the phrase champing at the bithe was champing at the bit to begin
chomp
verb
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\ ˈchämp , ˈchȯmp \
chomped; chomping; chomps
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
In other words, a difference lacking distinction.
BTW, where I grew up it was chomp, but when I moved to AZ, I heard more champ. But since they are synonymous, even to the point of MW dictionary using the word “chomp” to define the word “champ” and vice versa, I think we can say either is correct.
not being political, just commenting on someone's language use:
Rachel Maddow on TV ( tonight) used ' champing at the bit'
and I remembered this thread
Rachel Maddow on TV ( tonight) used ' champing at the bit'
and I remembered this thread
I don't know if we can reach a general conclusion. What made me create this thread was seeing "chomping at the bit" on CNN's web site.
