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UKchip on one's shoulder
/tʃˈɪp ˌɒn wˈɒnz ʃˈəʊldə/
/tʃˈɪp ˌɑːn wˈʌnz ʃˈoʊldɚ/chip on one's shoulder
[PHRASE]1
an attitude that shows one is angry or resentful because of an unjust treatment that they have recieved
What is the origin of the idiom "make a go of something" and when to use it?
The origin of the idiom "chip on one's shoulder" is not entirely clear, but it is thought to have originated in the United States in the 19th century. It likely derives from the practice of placing a small piece of wood or a "chip" on one's shoulder as a challenge. In this context, if someone knocked the chip off another person's shoulder, it would provoke a fight. It often implies that the person is touchy or quick to take offense, as if they are challenging others to provoke them by knocking off the metaphorical "chip" from their shoulder
Examples
1. He has had a chip on his shoulder ever since he didn't get the promotion he was expecting.
2. You can't tag on to the training pitch with a chip on your shoulder because you haven't been selected.
3. They tried to find ways to convince me that, absolutely, no, race had nothing to do with it, that actually I had a chip on my shoulder, and that, why was I trying to make everything about race?
4. It’s a perfect steroid for exponential shortcut cutting, to hop over the people that you have a chip on your shoulder about.
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