Nelly Min

Reader's question: Let's shake a leg. The kids are champing at the bit.

Could you explain "shake a leg" and "champ at the bit"?

My comments:

"Shake a leg" means to rouse yourself from sleep and get out of bed. Now it means "to hurry up."

Example: Come on, shake a leg!

"Champ" means to bite or chew (food) noisily like a horse. "Champ at the bit" means to be very eager, to show impatience at being held back or delayed. To champ at the bit is to be ready and anxious to do something. It's based on the idea of a horse chewing on the bit (piece of metal in its mouth that allows a rider to control its movements) when excited or nervous.

Example: The kids were champing at the bit to get into the swimming pool.

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本文仅代表作者本人观点，与本网立场无关。欢迎大家讨论学术问题，尊重他人，禁止人身攻击和发布一切违反国家现行法律法规的内容。

Nelly Min is a journalist at the China Daily website.