What it means
Chinwag is a friendly, unplanned chat where you end up putting the world to rights, swapping gossip, or just waffling for the joy of it. It can be a quick natter, but it often stretches into ages once the tea or pints start flowing. The image is simple: your chin wagging up and down as you talk.
Usage examples
"I bumped into Dan outside Tesco and what was meant to be a quick hello turned into a full chinwag and a brew in the café."
"We had a proper chinwag on the doorstep and an hour just vanished."
"Pop round after work and we'll have a proper chinwag over a cuppa."
"Started chatting at the bus stop and somehow it turned into a full chinwag about everyone's exes and rent."
"We only popped in for milk and ended up having a right chinwag with the bloke at the corner shop."
Where it comes from
Recorded in British English in the late 19th century, chinwag grew out of the funny little picture of someone’s chin wagging while they talk. That visual joke is the whole engine of it. It started as a light, informal word for a chat and has stayed cheerfully everyday ever since.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
Your vote counts
Is this real street talk or have we lost the plot? Cast your vote.
We look after this expression together
If they say it where you live and something is missing here, bring it. A magikito looks at it and adds it.
- An example
- Your patch
- Your voice