chuck

¹ American  

[chuhk] / tʃʌk /

verb (used with object)

1. to toss; throw with a quick motion, usually a short distance.

   Chuck that book to me, will you?

   Synonyms:

   hurl, heave, pitch, fling

2. Informal. to resign from; relinquish; give up.

   He's chucked his job.

3. to pat, tap, or stroke lightly, as under the chin.

   She chucks her grown son under his chin as if he were still a baby.

4. Informal. to eject (a person) from a public place (often followed byout ).

   They chucked him from the bar.

   I've been chucked out of better places than this!

5. Slang. to vomit; upchuck.

   It's the third time this week the dog's chucked his dinner.

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noun

1. a light pat, tap, or stroke, as under the chin.

   Let Grammy give her angel a little chuck.

2. a toss or pitch; a short throw.

   Give it a chuck over here.

3. a sudden jerk or change in direction.

   She gave the toboggan a chuck and we all tumbled off into the snow.

idioms

1. chuck it, stop it; shut up.

   Sorry for snapping, but your children don't know when to chuck it!

chuck ² American  

[chuhk] / tʃʌk /

noun

1. the cut of beef between the neck and the shoulder blade.

   Braise the chuck and you'll have a tender, inexpensive piece of meat.

2. a block or log used as a chock.

   Have you got a chuck I can use to keep my wagon from rolling?

3. Machinery.

   1. a device for centering and clamping work in a lathe or other machine tool.

      You can't do the fine lathe work on the spindles without a proper chuck.

   2. a device for holding a drill bit.

      This drill has a keyless chuck, which is great for jobs requiring frequent bit changes.

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verb (used with object)

1. Machinery. to hold or secure with a chuck.

   A poorly chucked drill bit is neither efficient nor safe.

chuck ³ American  

[chuhk] / tʃʌk /

verb (used with or without object)

1. to cluck.

   The hypnotist made them chuck like chickens!

   A mother hen is chucking her chicks to come to her side.

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noun

1. a clucking sound.

   We heard a loud chuck and saw him dashing from the henhouse with our prized layer.

2. Archaic. (used as a term of endearment).

   my love, my chuck.

chuck ⁴ American  

[chuhk] / tʃʌk /

noun

Western U.S. Slang.

1. food or provisions, as on a cattle ranch or trail.

   By the time we stopped for some chuck, I was too dang tired to eat.

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chuck ⁵ American  

[chuhk] / tʃʌk /

noun

Informal.

1. woodchuck.

   Those blasted chucks have wiped out our entire garden.

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chuck ⁶ American  

[chuhk] / tʃʌk /

noun

Canadian Slang.

1. water.

   Just give me some fresh air and clean chuck.

2. any body of water.

   Lordy, that Lake Nipigon is a beautiful chuck.

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Chuck ⁷ American  

[chuhk] / tʃʌk /

noun

1. a male given name, form of Charles.

2. Older Slang: Usually Disparaging and Offensive.

   1. a term used to refer to a white person.

   2. white society, culture, and values.

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chuck ¹ British  

/ tʃʌk /

verb

1. informal to throw

2. to pat affectionately, esp under the chin

3. informal to give up; reject

   he chucked up his job

   she chucked her boyfriend

4. slang to vomit

5. informal to abuse or make fun of

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noun

1. a throw or toss

2. a playful pat under the chin

3. informal dismissal

chuck ² British  

/ tʃʌk /

noun

1. Also called: chuck steak.  a cut of beef extending from the neck to the shoulder blade

2. 1. Also called: three jaw chuck.  a device that holds a workpiece in a lathe or tool in a drill, having a number of adjustable jaws geared to move in unison to centralize the workpiece or tool

   2. Also called: four jaw chuck.   independent jaw chuck.  a similar device having independently adjustable jaws for holding an unsymmetrical workpiece

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chuck ³ British  

/ tʃʌk /

verb

1. (intr) a less common word for cluck

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noun

1. a clucking sound

2. a term of endearment

chuck ⁴ British  

/ tʃʌk /

noun

1. a large body of water

2. short for saltchuck

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Sensitive Note

Chuck in its slang sense was used especially in the 1960s and 1970s by Black people. This use arose by analogy with Mister Charlie, a slang term used in the same sense and also derived from a nickname for Charles.

Etymology

Origin of chuck¹

First recorded in 1575–85; origin uncertain; possibly from French choquer “to knock, clash;” shock ¹ ( def. )

Origin of chuck²

First recorded in 1665–75; variant of chock; chunk ¹

Origin of chuck³

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English chuk, expressive word, apparently imitative

Origin of chuck⁴

First recorded in 1840–50; special use of chuck ²

Origin of chuck⁵

By shortening

Origin of chuck⁶

First recorded in 1855–60; from Chinook Jargon, probably from Nuu-chah-nulth (Nootka) čʾaʔak “water,” reinforced by Lower Chinook ł-čuq “water”

Example Sentences

The wealthy know this and try to compensate in everything from their philanthropy to visiting grocery stores now and then to learn the price of ground chuck.

From The Wall Street Journal

"When I was getting trained, they literally said, if they're not in just leave it in the blue bin or just chuck it behind the fence."

From BBC

Now, as residents begin the long process of rebuilding, Martinez is pushing her neighbors to chuck the lumber and build with noncombustible materials instead.

From Los Angeles Times

"There was a teacher last year who chucked it after three weeks, it was too difficult," he says.

From BBC

"It will be a battle of attrition. In years gone by they've been known for chucking the ball about but they've got some big physical lumps in there now, so we'll relish that."

From BBC