champ C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes US /tʃæmp/ UK /tʃæmp/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 verb to bite or chew noisily and restlessly The horse champed at its bit, eager to gallop. Verb forms Verb forms are not available for this word yet. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 verb · to bite or chew noisily and... chewgnawmunchbitechompgnash Word family Derived forms champing Appears in Idioms (1) See all champ at the bit to feel intensely ready to begin after being forced to wait Etymology AI details Of uncertain origin, probably imitative of the sound of vigorous chewing; first recorded in the 16th century. Topics Actions & Processes External links Google Images Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary # champ **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** verb **IPA (US):** /tʃæmp/ **IPA (UK):** /tʃæmp/ ## Meanings 1. to bite or chew noisily and restlessly ## Examples - The horse champed at its bit, eager to gallop. ## Synonyms - chew - gnaw - munch - bite - chomp - gnash ## Derived Forms - champing ## Etymology Of uncertain origin, probably imitative of the sound of vigorous chewing; first recorded in the 16th century. ## AI Etymology Champ is of uncertain origin, probably imitative of the sound of vigorous chewing; first recorded in the 16th century. Its formation is sound-symbolic rather than a regular transparent compound, with the older form echoing the sound named in the history. Used as a verb and noun, champ now means "bite or chew noisily and restlessly", so the present definition can be read against the older forms and meanings. The same lexical family is also visible in derived forms such as champing. That uncertainty is part of the entry: the safest account is the attested form and the limited comparisons preserved with it. ## Topics - Actions & Processes markdown