Chinnin'

In Southern and Appalachian speech, chinning means talking idly, gossiping, or "running your mouth" - much like "jawing" or "chewing the fat."

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synonyms: jawing, gossiping, chatting, chewing the fat

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I'm pretty sure 'chinnin'' is regional and old timers - I've only read this one myself.

Pronunciation

[CHIN-ing] /ˈtʃɪnɪŋ/

Meaning & Usage

- To chat or gossip idly (verb)

Wade:

Quit your chinning and grab that feed sack.

Earlene:

I’m just tellin’ her what I heard down at the store!

variations: chinning, chinning around, chin music

★ Sometimes you’ll hear "chin music" or "jawing" in the same breath - all pointing to idle talk or gossip. ★

Origin

Derived from the noun "chin" - the part of the face that moves when talking - and found in rural American English since the late 1800s. Common in the South and Appalachia for friendly or gossipy conversation.

Notes

Chinning - to talk idly, gossip, or chatter ("We were chinning on the porch all afternoon.")
Chinning around - moving from place to place gossiping ("He’s always chinning around town.")
Chin music - a related term meaning idle talk or, in baseball slang, a high fastball under the chin.
Old-timey but still recognized - may sound quaint or humorous to younger speakers.

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Common Questions

Does "chinning" mean the same as "jawing"?

Yes - it’s another way of saying gossiping or chatting idly.

Is "chinning" still used today?

Less often than in the past, but it still pops up in Southern and Appalachian communities.

Can "chinning" be friendly, or is it always negative?

It can be either - friendly porch talk or more pointed gossip depending on tone.