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(ordered by seriousness) ESL Vocabulary Lists Parts of Speech Lists A-Z Idioms and Proverbs Tests and Games Top Tip Install a grammar checker
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(ordered by seriousness) ESL Vocabulary Lists Parts of Speech Lists A-Z Idioms and Proverbs Tests and Games Top Tip Install a grammar checker
for your browser
Chew Someone out (Origin)
What Is the Origin of the Saying "Chew Someone out"?
The term "chew someone out" means verbally scold someone.
Competing Theory
"To chew someone out" originates from the US military in the 1940s. It comes from the practice of consistently shouting at someone while being in their personal space, typically touching faces. When viewed by a third party, it looks like the shouter is chewing on the "offender."Of note, both of these theories claim that the term comes from the 1940s. This is supported by Google's Ngram Viewer, which scans millions of publications released in the last two centuries. Therefore, it is likely this term came to prominence during World War II.
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