chump-change: Idiom Meaning and Origin
What does ‘chump-change’ mean?
The idiom "chump-change" refers to a small or insignificant amount of money or anything of little value. It implies that the amount mentioned is not worth much and is easily dismissed or disregarded.
Idiom Explorer
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"Paltry Pennies: Uncovering 'Chump-Change's' Significance"
Chump-change is an idiom commonly used in the United States. It refers to a small amount of money that is considered insignificant or of little value. The idiom is typically used in a negative context, implying that the amount of money being discussed is not worth mentioning or is trivial in comparison to other amounts. It's like when someone says, "Oh, that's just chump-change." It means the amount of money is so small that it's not even worth considering as a significant amount.
The term "chump-change" is believed to have originated in African American slang in the 1930s. The word "chump" itself means a foolish or gullible person, and when combined with "change," it takes on the meaning of a small or negligible amount of money. So, when someone refers to chump-change, they are basically saying that the money in question is so small that it's not even worth the attention of a fool.
Now let's talk about some related idioms that are similar in meaning to chump-change. One such idiom is "chicken feed." It's another way of expressing the idea of a small or insignificant amount of money. When someone says, "Oh, that's just chicken feed," it means that the amount of money is so small that it's like what you would give to a chicken to eat. It's something of low value or importance. Similarly, the idiom "and change" is used to emphasize that the amount of money is even more than what was originally mentioned. For example, if someone says, "I paid $100 for that jacket, and change," it means they paid a little over $100, but not a significant amount more. It's like saying the amount is even greater than the original amount but still not that large.
The origins of these idioms are not as well-documented as chump-change, but they are also believed to have originated in informal speech and slang. They are expressions that have become part of the vernacular and are widely used and understood by native English speakers.
So, to summarize, chump-change is an idiom that is commonly used to refer to a small or insignificant amount of money. It originated in African American slang and has since become part of the broader American English vernacular. It is similar in meaning to idioms like "chicken feed" and "and change," which also convey the idea of a small or negligible amount of money. These idioms highlight the dynamic nature of language and how it evolves and spreads across different communities. In the end, they remind us of the complexity and richness of human language.
Example usage
Examples of how the idiom "chump-change" can be used in a sentence:
- He had millions of dollars, so $100 was just chump-change to him.
- After buying a luxury yacht, a few thousand dollars for maintenance was considered chump-change.
- She found a dollar bill on the street, but for her, it was only chump-change.
The phrase "chump-change" is often used to describe a small or insignificant amount of money in comparison to a larger sum or value. It implies that the mentioned amount is of little consequence or importance. It can also be used metaphorically to indicate that something is trivial or insignificant in general, not necessarily related to money. The term is typically used in spoken language and casual conversations.
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