champ down on (someone or something)

champ down on (someone or something)

1. Literally, to bite aggressively or forcefully down upon someone or something. A less common variant of "chomp down on someone or something." She lost her tooth after champing down on an apple. I reached out my hand to pet the horse when it lunged forward and champed down on me!
2. To restrain or withhold something, as a remark or facial expression, with great difficulty and willpower. I had to champ down on the torrent of expletives dancing on the tip of my tongue. She champed down on a vindictive smile as her opponent was led away in chains.
See also: champ, down, on
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • chomp down on (someone or something)
  • bear down
  • bog
  • bog down
  • bogged down
  • blaze down
  • blaze down on (someone or something)
  • bite down on (something)
  • be down to (do something)
  • be down to something