to champ
- verb
- /tʃæmp/
- Al Gore must be champing at the bit.
- champed at the bit
Examples
-
The FS is also champing at the bit.
Academic text (1997) -
Galloway is champing at the bit.
Fiction book (1994) -
There are also two bodies in Congress that seem to be always champing at the bit to spend more.
Blog text (26) -
Champing at the bit, huh?
-
And are champing at the bit to love, honor, protect and support her in a style to which she is totally unaccustomed.
-
All this time, she has been champing at the bit to color-coordinate this funeral.
Fiction book (1990) -
You must be one of those fast food/junk food vendors champing at the bit to get into the schools.
Blog text (14) -
Such beautifully constructed melodies and sounds make this something I'm champing at the bit for.
Blog text (28) -
He's NBA ready in a handful of areas, so why aren't teams champing at the bit for the guy?
Blog text (2) -
The team was champing at the bit to start the championship game after weeks of practice.
Synonyms
To bite or chew food loudly with big jaw movements
Very eager and unable to wait to start something
To chew food with the teeth
Idioms
- Informal
In a way that shows great skill, confidence, and keeps trying when things are hard
How Forceful
Surface Forms
Etymology
The verb champ comes from an old sound word like chomp that copies the noise of chewing, so it means to bite or chew loudly and also to show eager impatience, as in 'champing at the bit'.