challenge, in the same spirit as a medieval knight throwing down his gauntlet.' name='description'> chip on one's shoulder - definition and meaning
chip on one's shoulder love

chip on one's shoulder

Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A form of challenge, in the same spirit as a medieval knight throwing down his gauntlet.
  • noun idiomatic A habitually combative attitude, usually because of a harboured grievance, sense of inferiority, or having something to prove.
  • noun idiomatic A tendency to take offence quickly.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

The saying originated during the 19th century in the United States, where people wanting a physical fight would carry a chip of wood on their shoulder, daring others to knock it off. Printed citations of this include the Long Island Telegraph, which on May 20th, 1830, printed: "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."

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