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<font size=3>If "chomping at the bit" is an eggcorn, it must
have become so very early. OED2 has a citation under chomp (v) for
"chomp on the bit" from c1645 (The citadel here+serves as a
shrewd curb unto her [the town] which makes her chomp upon the bit.), and
others for forms of "chomp" in 1714, 1848, and the 20th
century.<br><br>
FWIW, I (a US dialectite) would say "chomp". Google says
"chomping at/on the bit" noticeably more frequently than
"champing".<br><br>
Joel<br><br>
At 11/13/2007 10:21 AM, Arnold M. Zwicky wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">On Nov 13, 2007, at 7:06 AM,
James Smith wrote:<br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">"Jive with" and
"chomping at the bit" are eggcorns?<br>
I've heard and used both all my life! What are the<br>
"correct" expressions?</blockquote><br>
these are eggcorns that have made it to mainstream use, or close to<br>
it. "jibe with" and "champing at the
bit":<br><br>
<a href="http://eggcorns.lascribe.net/english/420/jive/" eudora="autourl">
http://eggcorns.lascribe.net/english/420/jive/</a><br><br>
<a href="http://eggcorns.lascribe.net/english/269/chomp-at-the-bit/" eudora="autourl">
http://eggcorns.lascribe.net/english/269/chomp-at-the-bit/</a><br><br>
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http://www.americandialect.org</a></font></blockquote></body>
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