champ1
[champ, chomp]
- to bite upon or grind, especially impatiently: The horses champed the oats.
- to crush with the teeth and chew vigorously or noisily; munch.
- to mash; crush.
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- to make vigorous chewing or biting movements with the jaws and teeth.
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- the act of champing.
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- champ at the bit, to betray impatience, as to begin some action.
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Also chomp.
Origin of champ1
champ2
[champ]
- a champion.
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Origin of champ2
by shortening
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for champ
Contemporary Examples
The reigning Emmy champ coming off her best season yet on The Good Wife, Margulies could very well set that record, too.
Jennifer Aniston, Oscar Nominee? 5 Takeaways from the 2015 SAG Award NominationsKevin Fallon
December 10, 2014
The clock strikes zero, and the champ is still the champ, 61-56.
Champ refers to a field, Bertin was likely the original owner of that field, and the name still holds today.
He assured me that Hillary was a champ when it came to separating her public service from her private practice.
Now shaken from his reverie, stunned, Paterno walked over to the golf cart and crouched and shook the hand of the champ.
Historical Examples
Shall we subdue our strength, and champ a bit, and serve his pride?
"Guess we've got to take it on then and 'champ'," murmured Delia.
The Jolliest School of AllAngela Brazil
She was to be seen, in July, 1790, digging the soil of the Champ de Mars.
The Gods are AthirstAnatole France
Pop Monroe was trying for just one solid blow to slow down the Champ.
Vital IngredientGerald Vance
It was not long after midnight the next day that Champ Lee reached the ranch.
Brand BlottersWilliam MacLeod Raine
champ1
- to munch (food) noisily like a horse
- (when intr, often foll by on, at, etc) to bite (something) nervously or impatiently; gnaw
- champ at the bit or chafe at the bit informal to be impatient to start work, a journey, etc
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- the act or noise of champing
- Ulster dialect a dish, originating in Ireland, of mashed potatoes and spring onions or leeks
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Word Origin
C16: probably of imitative origin
champ2
- informal short for champion (def. 1)
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for champ
n.
1868, American English abbreviation of champion (n.).
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v.
"to chew noisily," 1520s, probably echoic; OED suggests a connection with jam (v.). Earlier also cham, chamb, etc. To champ on (or at) the bit, as an eager horse will, is attested in figurative sense by 1640s. Related: Champed; champing. As a noun in this sense, attested from c.1600.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Idioms and Phrases with champ
champ
In addition to the idiom beginning with champ
also see:
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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.