2007-03-31 05:08:44 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
It can either mean you have an attitude or you have a piece of fried potato on your shoulder.
2007-03-31 05:11:47 · answer #1 · answered by Pearl 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
It means kind of to be really sensitive about a particular subject, because you feel it is somehow related personally to you, or your culture or religion etc.
For a very extreme example, sometimes people say the the Jews have a chip on their shoulder about the war or the Holocaust (ie we know it happened but they just won't let it go and it's really very sensitive and they sometimes bring it into a subject that it really has no place in).
Definition from Go English is:
"A person who has "a chip on his shoulder" is angry because of some thing that happened in the past. Example: "He lost his game this morning, and now he has a chip on his shoulder." It is easy for a person to get in a fight when he has a chip on his shoulder, because he is already angry about something else. Example: "Watch out for that guy, he's got a chip on his shoulder." To start a fight, men used to put chips of wood on their shoulder and challenge others to "try to knock it off". Example: "What's bothering that guy?" Reply: "Nothing. He's just got a chip on the shoulder." Example: "Tom had a tough time growing up, so he's got a bit of a chip on his shoulder." You can use the definite article ("the") which sounds more general ("a chip on the shoulder"), but more often people use the personal pronoun ("his", "her", "their") to say that that specific person has "a chip on his (her, their) shoulder."
2007-03-31 12:13:49 · answer #2 · answered by emsr2d2 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
When 2 kids wanted to fight, one would put a chip of wood on his shoulder and dare the other to knock it off. This was the equivalent of throwing down a gauntlet...it was a challenge. If the other knocked it off, a fight was on. (Read Tom Sawyer for a description of this). So a person who "goes around with a chip on their shoulder" is always looking for a confrontation.
This is closely related to "drawing the line in the sand"--in this case, the challenged person stepped over the line (and thereby got close enough to hit the challenger). So when you draw the line in the sand about something, you are saying thus far and no further--or there's going to be trouble.
2007-03-31 12:46:21 · answer #3 · answered by anna 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
have a chip on one's shoulder
To have a habitually combative attitude, usually because of a perception of having something to prove.
"He really has a chip on his shoulder about being passed over for that promotion."
I think it means like to be annoyed or to hold a grudge.
2007-03-31 12:12:54 · answer #4 · answered by sugar_plum_faerie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means to be ready for a fight, at least originally.
Lumberjacks would balance a small piece of wood (or chip) on their shoulder to show others that they wanted a fight.
2007-03-31 12:16:44 · answer #5 · answered by Nexus6 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is easy. All it means is that you have a grudge against someone. It means you are still angry about something that has already happened probably sometime ago. Take care
2007-03-31 15:04:39 · answer #6 · answered by carly071 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your a messy eater!
No it means to feel inferior or badly treated and so act in an oversensitive or resentful manner.
2007-03-31 12:19:06 · answer #7 · answered by Cowboy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To carry resentment about some thing or person to everyone else.
2007-03-31 12:12:40 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It means you are feeling sad.
2007-03-31 12:14:31 · answer #9 · answered by Ali 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it means you got a big attitude!
2007-03-31 12:18:12 · answer #10 · answered by kel lou 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋