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Glite Dictionary
to be a chump

to be a chump

3 9.2
To act foolishly and let people trick you
  • idiom
  • Offensive
translation icon : ser un idiota (informal, ofensivo)
  • I've been a chump, it's time to make my move.

Examples

Synonyms

to feel like a sap
vsto be a chump
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To feel silly for believing someone who tricked you

means acting foolishly or being easily deceived rather than just feeling that way
to feel like a sucker
vsto be a chump
  • Offensive
1 8.6

To think you were tricked and regret trusting someone

means acting foolishly or being easily deceived rather than only a feeling
to fall off the turnip truck
vsto be a chump
  • Informal
1 9.9

To not be easily fooled because you have experience

is about acting foolishly or being deceived rather than mere lack of experience
to be a dimmie
vsto be a chump
  • Offensive
9.9

To act in a silly or stupid way

focuses more on being deceived rather than simple foolishness
to be a skaapie
vsto be a chump
  • Offensive
9.9

Act in a foolish way because you trust people too easily

emphasizes being deceived by others rather than mere naivety
to be a chutiya
vsto be a chump
  • Offensive
9.9

To behave in a stupid and rude way

is more about being deceived than crude informal foolishness

Antonyms

astute
40 6.9

Good at understanding a situation quickly and using it to get an advantage

shrewdness
2 6.3

Skill in judging people or situations and using it to gain advantage

Surface Forms

be a chump infinitive
was a chump past
been a chump past participle
being a chump present participle
chumps third person singular

Morphology

be + a + chump

This is a simple predicative construction: 'be' + 'a' + 'chump' literally means to have the identity of a 'chump' (a person easily deceived). Because the MWE's meaning directly follows from the noun's definition, a B1 learner who knows the constituent words can infer the meaning without prior exposure; the pattern is a common, cross-linguistic way to ascribe a trait.

Etymology

The idiom be a chump comes from an old saying that called an easy target a chump, so picture someone who stands by while others trick or laugh at them. So, to 'be a chump' means 'to act foolishly' or 'to be easily tricked'.