Idiom – Chew the Fat

Chew the Fat – Idiom of the Day 

Meaning:

Chat or gossip in a prolonged way

History:

The use of this phrase commenced in the early 20th century when the reference was made to a small gossip. There is another theory that states that the phrase came from the agreement of chatting while chewing the leftover fat after a meal. Although some of the sources attribute this idiom to sailors, who during the time of conversing or working together, would chew salted pork and beef on deck while complaining about their lives; there is no significant historical recording of the same. Another suggestion says that the phrase comes from a practice that North American Indians and British farmers followed. They used to chew animal hides and smoked pork. However, yet again, there is no foundational evidence that would support such a claim. And then, other claims say that this idiom is synonymous with chewing on fat or a reference to moving the mouth while chewing. Considering that fried fat is scrumptious, it was a treat and anybody could chew on it for as long as they relish the most out of it.

Synonyms:

Chew the Rag
Chattering
Gab
Prattle
Run Off at the Mouth
Yack

Examples:

Go through the examples to understand the usage of the idiom:

1. Sarah stayed back after the party to chew the fat.
2. They meet once a year and chew the fat about each others’ lives.
3. Our trip ended with a lot of memories and we chewed the fat on the road back to our homes.