lick (one's) chops
lick (one's) chops
1. To anticipate eating (something) with great eagerness or appetite. I was licking my chops when the waiter set the juicy steak down in front of me.
2. To show one's impatience or excitement to do something. You should have seen John at the car show. He was licking his chops looking at all those fancy sports cars. My detractors were practically licking their chops when they heard that my proposal had failed.
See also: chops, lick
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
lick one's chops
Fig. to show one's eagerness to do something, especially to eat something. We could tell from the way the boys were licking their chops that they really wanted a turn at riding the motorcycle. Fred started licking his chops when he smelled the turkey roasting in the oven.
See also: chops, lick
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
lick one's chops
Also, lick one's lips. Anticipate with great pleasure. For example, The kids were licking their chops as Mother described the family vacation plans, or I couldn't help but lick my lips when she talked about the menu. Both expressions allude to anticipating a tasty morsel of food. The second is the older, dating from about 1500 and used interchangeably with lick one's fingers, now seldom heard. The first also served as 1930s jazz slang for warming up, chops meaning "the jaw or mouth" (a usage dating from the 1300s).
See also: chops, lick
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
lick (one's) chops
To anticipate delightedly.
See also: chops, lick
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
- lick chops
- lick one's chops
- lick lips
- lick (one's) lips
- lick your lips
- lick one's chops, to
- get a licking
- as I was saying
- like I was saying
- flap (one's) chops