Chinnin’
In Southern and Appalachian speech, chinning means talking idly, gossiping, or "running your mouth" - much like "jawing" or "chewing the fat."
#SouthernWords #Appalachia #PeopleandRelationships #Southern
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. Hillbilly Dude Says...
I'm pretty sure 'chinnin'' is regional and old timers - I've only read this one myself. Pronunciation
[CHIN-ing]
/ˈtʃɪnɪŋ/
/ˈtʃɪnɪŋ/
Meaning & Usage
- To chat or gossip idly (verb)
Wade:
Quit your chinning and grab that feed sack.
Quit your chinning and grab that feed sack.
Earlene:
I’m just tellin’ her what I heard down at the store!
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 and Etymology
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.
Usage 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.
Kin Topics
Related Pages
How to Cite This Page
- APA (7th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, October 5). Chinning. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/chinning
- MLA (9th edition)"The Hillbilly Dude." "Chinning." HillbillySlang.com, 5 Oct. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/chinning.
- Chicago (17th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. "Chinning." HillbillySlang.com. October 5, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/chinning.
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Created by a true, actual, proper, real-life hillbilly, HillbillySlang is a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia but reaching across the world. Every slang word, saying, accent and story is gathered from first-hand experience and trusted sources. The goal: preserve authentic voices and share them with writers, learners, and culture lovers everywhere - with a little humor thrown in here and there. Read more...