chomp at the bit
verbEtymology Non-standard variant of champ at the bit, recasting it as chomp (“to chew noisily”) + bit (“part of a horse's harness held in its mouth”); horses tend to chew on their bits when impatient at waiting.
1
To show impatience or frustration when delayed.
- Electronics makers chomping at the bit.2004, Lisa Wang, Taipei Times read at http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2004/03/16/2003102683 on 14 May 2006
- But I wouldn't say [they're frustrated], I think our players are just chomping at the bit to go.2005, Guy Hedderwick, speaking to Joel Zander of Australian Broadcasting Corporation, New Zealand Knights: Outsiders read at https://web.archive.org/web/20060420011428/http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200508/s1441286.htm on 14 May 2006
1 more example
- Curt Schilling was "chomping at the bit" following Monday’s three-inning stint in an intrasquad minor-league game.2005, David Borges, Journal Register News Service, Schilling ‘chomping at the bit’ read at http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14200724&BRD=1641&PAG=461&dept_id=17739&rfi=6 on 14 May 2006
- Related terms
- bit between one's teeth