What it means
Used to describe someone pulling a tight, sour face, like they’ve just chomped down on a wasp. It’s that clenched-jaw, deeply unimpressed look that screams don’t talk to me. Same energy as having a face like a slapped arse, just more vivid and a bit more cartoonish. Ideal for moody bosses, grumpy punters, and vibe killers.
Usage examples
"Dave rocked up and realised it was alcohol-free lager. He sat there chewing a wasp all night, like the bar had personally betrayed him."
"He sat through the whole meeting with a face like he was chewing a wasp."
"One look at her chewing-a-wasp expression and we knew the news was bad."
Where it comes from
Short for a face like a bulldog chewing a wasp, one of those gloriously vivid British put-downs. The picture does all the work: imagine the scrunched-up, sour, thoroughly displeased expression of anyone unlucky enough to bite into a wasp. To have a face like you are chewing a wasp is to look utterly grumpy and sucked-lemon sour.
Other ways to say it
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