| 释义 |
chip on one's shoulder
chip on one's shoulderTo have one of these is to have a grievance or be overly touchy; from the idea of a belligerent man putting a wood chip on his shoulder and daring anyone to knock it off.chip on one's shoulder
a chip on (one's) shoulderAn attitude that leads one to become combative or easily angered. Fred has such a chip on his shoulder—you never know what's going to set him off next. She won't admit it, but Kate has a chip on her shoulder when it comes to discussing her career.See also: chip, on, shoulderchip on one's shoulderA belligerent attitude or grievance, as in Mary is easily offended; she always has a chip on her shoulder. This term actually was defined in a newspaper article ( Long Island Telegraph, May 20, 1830): "When two churlish boys were determined to fight, a chip would be placed on the shoulder of one and the other demanded to knock it off at his peril." [Early 1800s] See also: chip, on, shoulderchip on one's shoulder, to have aTo be quarrelsome; to carry a grievance. This turn of phrase originated in nineteenth-century America, when, according to an article in Harper’s magazine (1857), placing a chip on a man’s shoulder and daring someone to knock it off was a provocation to fight.See also: chip, have, on |