KNOCKED CHIP SHOULDER Meaning and
Definition
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"Knocked chip off one's shoulder" is a colloquial expression that refers to someone's defensive attitude or readiness for confrontation, usually due to previous experiences of feeling disrespected or inferior. The phrase entails the idea of someone having a metaphorical "chip" on their shoulder, symbolizing their feeling of anger, bitterness, or resentfulness towards others. When this figurative chip is "knocked off," it means that someone has successfully managed to provoke a reaction or trigger the person's defensiveness.
This idiom originates from the practice of placing a small chip of wood on one's shoulder back in the 19th century. The chip was meant to serve as a challenge to others to knock it off, as a way to provoke a fight. Therefore, when someone is described as having a "knocked chip off their shoulder," it implies that they have been provoked into a confrontation or have had their insecurities laid bare.
The phrase generally suggests that the person affected by the unruly behavior or confrontation is overly sensitive or easily riled up. It implies that they are prone to reacting defensively or aggressively when they feel that their self-esteem or honor is being threatened.
Overall, this idiomatic expression encapsulates an individual's readiness to engage in confrontations due to personal insecurities or resentments, emphasizing their predisposition to interpret certain behaviors as disrespectful or challenging.
Common Misspellings for KNOCKED CHIP SHOULDER
- jnocked chip shoulder
- mnocked chip shoulder
- lnocked chip shoulder
- onocked chip shoulder
- inocked chip shoulder
- kbocked chip shoulder
- kmocked chip shoulder
- kjocked chip shoulder
- khocked chip shoulder
- knicked chip shoulder
- knkcked chip shoulder
- knlcked chip shoulder
- knpcked chip shoulder
- kn0cked chip shoulder
- kn9cked chip shoulder
- knoxked chip shoulder
- knovked chip shoulder
- knofked chip shoulder
- knodked chip shoulder
- knocjed chip shoulder
