chin wag
- noun
- /tʃɪn wæɡ/
- UK
:
charla
- They sat down for a chin wag over a cup of tea.
Examples
-
Let's have a quick chin wag over coffee.
-
During our lunch break, we had a lovely chin wag.
-
After the meeting, everyone stayed behind for a quick chin wag.
-
Whenever we meet, we end up having a long chin wag.
-
After the meeting, everyone stayed behind for a quick chin wag.
-
They sat down for a chin wag over a cup of tea.
-
During our lunch break, we had a lovely chin wag.
Synonyms
65
2.1
Polite short talk about simple topics like the weather
28
2.0
Friendly, light talk about unimportant things
12
7.1
A short friendly talk between people
9
2.8
Short friendly talk about unimportant things
1
8.8
A friendly informal meeting where people talk a lot
1
8.4
A friendly relaxed chat between people, often over coffee
1
8.2
A long friendly talk that people use to persuade or catch up
Light informal chat between people to enjoy themselves
A friendly informal talk about unimportant things
A short friendly chat that helps people relax
Light informal talk among people at social or literary gatherings
How Casual
- Informal
1
8.8
- Informal
9
2.8
- UK
- Informal
312
1.0
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a chat' is not straightforwardly compositional from 'chin' (a body part) and 'wag' (here listed as a witty person), but there is a plausible metaphorical link (the idea of moving or wagging the jaw when talking) that gives some hint of conversational meaning. Because the sense relies on a figurative/body-part-convention and is informal/regionally British, it is partially inferable but not fully predictable for an average B1 learner who has not seen the expression before.
Etymology
Chin wag likely comes from the image of a loose chin or jaw that seems to wag like a little tail when someone talks a lot. That's why chin wag means 'a chat'.