chump

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

The head or face. Also one end of a loin of mutton. A half-idiotic or daft person is said to be off his chump.

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English
Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Common questions

What does “chump” mean?

The head or face. Also one end of a loin of mutton. A half-idiotic or daft person is said to be off his chump.

Is “chump” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.