champ

1 of 2

verb

champed; champing; champs

intransitive verb

1
: to make biting or gnashing movements
2
: to show impatience of delay or restraint
usually used in the phrase champing at the bit
he was champing at the bit to begin

champ

2 of 2

noun

Examples of champ in a Sentence

Verb He champed his pipe angrily. The horse was champing its bit. He champed on his pipe angrily. Noun this year's national basketball champs
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Others would champ at the bit to join him. Osita Nwanevu, The New Republic, 24 Mar. 2021 Will any lessons from these countries be learned in the West, where countries are several weeks behind in their outbreaks, but many governments are already champing at the bit to relax lockdowns, despite sky-high infection rates? James Griffiths, CNN, 11 May 2020
Noun
At just 28 years old, Patrick Mahomes is a two-time NFL MVP and two-time Super Bowl champ – and the secret to the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback's success may just be a pair of red underwear. Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 14 Nov. 2023 The debate would then center on the two-time defending champs, sitting at 12-1, and potentially a 12-1 Oregon or 12-1 Texas (either of which would be conference champions). J. Brady McCollough, Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2023 Olympian, the Metro South Bay champs, put together its best drive of the night in the second quarter. Kevin. J. Farmer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2023 Combs is already a two-time winner and the reigning champ in this category, while Wallen’s One Thing at a Time has dominated the Billboard 200 this year, with 16 weeks atop the chart. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 6 Nov. 2023 On Tuesday, the Super Bowl champ, 46, shared a peek at his Halloween celebration with daughter Vivian Lake, 10, and son Benjamin Rein, 13, posting a few photos to his Instagram Story. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 1 Nov. 2023 But the gripping sports drama Tatami, which follows a female judo champ whose career is severely jeopardized by Iran’s government during an international tournament, is more than just a promising collaboration between two filmmakers hailing from opposing sides of a major conflict. Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Oct. 2023 The British champ brings a 33-0-1 record into the ring while Ngannou is making his boxing debut. Tim Chan, Variety, 27 Oct. 2023 The Super Bowl champ wore a wool-blend Zegna suit from the house’s Fall/Winter 2023 collection. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'champ.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English chammen, champen

First Known Use

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1868, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of champ was in 1530

Dictionary Entries Near champ

Cite this Entry

“Champ.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/champ. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

champ

1 of 2 verb
1
: to bite or chew noisily
a horse champing its bit
2
: to show impatience
usually used in the phrase champing at the bit

champ

2 of 2 noun

More from Merriam-Webster on champ

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