Meaning of ‘A Chip On Your Shoulder’
Having ‘a chip on your shoulder’ means you feel upset about something because you believe you’ve been treated unfairly. Basically, this idiom refers to someone who feels like they’ve been wronged in some way, and they have lingering resentment as a result.
Example: James has had a chip on his shoulder ever since he found out his coworker ate his lunch from the staff’s fridge.
Similar Phrases: having a bone to pick, holding a grudge, seeing red, throwing a tantrum, up in arms
Related Idioms:
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Origin of ‘A Chip On Your Shoulder’
It’s possible that the phrase ‘a chip on your shoulder’ originated from an old practice of people placing wood on their shoulder, and then daring others to knock it off. But before we talk about that, let’s first go over what the ‘chip’ means in this expression.
The ‘chip’ mentioned in this phrase refers, not to the potato variety, but rather to a piece of timber or wood. People sometimes carry wood on their shoulders to transport it from one location to another. In doing so, they would literally have a chip on their shoulder, which could be the origin of this saying. However, what does carrying around wood on one’s shoulder have to do with anger?
Well, there was a time where people would put a chip on their shoulder, then dared others to knock it off. If someone accepted the challenge, a fight would ensue shortly after.
This sort of behavior was described in a few newspapers from the 19th century. For example, the Long Island Telegraph newspaper, printed on May 20th, 1830, wrote:
“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.”
Another example of this sort of behavior comes from the same year, published in the Onondaga Standard of Syracuse, New York, 1830:
“‘He waylay me’, said I, ‘the mean sneaking fellow – I am only afraid that he will sue me for damages. Oh! if I only could get him to knock a chip off my shoulder, and so get round the law, I would give him one of the soundest thrashings he ever had.'”
In conclusion, it seems probable that the origin of this everyday idiom is rooted in this old practice.
Examples of ‘A Chip On Your Shoulder’ in Sentences
Let’s look at some usage cases on how to use this common phrase.
Examples:
1. I hope you don’t have a chip on your shoulder over being the last pick for the team.
2. John and I had chips on our shoulders because we were not invited to the party.
3. She started carrying a chip on her shoulder after not receiving the promotion she wanted.
Examples That Use Similar Idioms:
1. Sarah is still holding a grudge against her colleague for taking credit for an idea she had.
2. He had a bone to pick with the wasps outside, because they’ve become a real nuisance every time he leaves the house.
3. When I heard someone made unfair comments about me, I was seeing red and demanded to know who it was.