I'm a Chump

[audreyh1]

It is an interesting word! Here's an excerpt from the online Word Detective:

“Chump,” meaning “an idiot, a blockhead” or “a sucker, a loser,” actually appeared in English at roughly the same time as “chum,” but has never been anything but a dismissive insult. The initial meaning of “chump” when it first appeared in print in 1680 was “a lump of wood chopped or sawed off a bigger piece,” i.e., an end-piece or trimming. The source of “chump” is, alas, uncertain, but one possible source is an Old Norse word “kumba,” meaning “block of wood,” perhaps influenced in English by the form of such words as “lump” and “stump.” In the 19th century, “chump” was used to mean the blunt end of anything (“As if they had been unskilfully cut off the chump-end of something,” Great Expectations, Dickens, 1861), as well as being slang for the human head (“Think how unpleasant it is to have your chump lopped off,” V. Nabokov, 1960). But by the late 1800s, “chump” was also being used in its modern sense of “a person as stupid as a chump of wood” (“Such a long-winded old chump at telling a story,” 1883).

-BB

Thanks! I’m always interested in word origins.

 

[Bryan Barnfellow]

You're welcome! Now I understand why on some mornings my head (chump, that is) feels like the butt end of a log.

-BB

 

[Cayman]

Thank you. Good reminder for us all.

 

[easysurfer]

Thanks for the reassurances, although I still feel like a chump (actually, I just like using the fabulous word "chump").
Although they are disputing the charge, my credit card company wasn't interested in the fraudulent website at all. (If anyone is interested in taking a look, it is Shop Fashion Clothing & Accessories - Official Site). So the question is, should I try to report this website? If so, to whom?

Only one letter is different between "champ" and "chump". Think about that. Sometimes, even champs end up as chumps and vice versa. In other words. Pick yourself up and chalk up the experience as a lesson learned.

 

[RenoJay]

Yup, I married the wrong girl in 1978. That cost a lot more than any pair of boots!

+1, but change the year to 2004

 

[aja8888]

Thanks for the reassurances, although I still feel like a chump (actually, I just like using the fabulous word "chump").
Although they are disputing the charge, my credit card company wasn't interested in the fraudulent website at all. (If anyone is interested in taking a look, it is Shop Fashion Clothing & Accessories - Official Site). So the question is, should I try to report this website? If so, to whom?

I went to that site and looked at the "contact us" tab and found no phone number. Always a red flag.

Then I looked at the "about us" tab and just read a few lines. Here they are:

Because our site utilises some of the most sophisticated commercial security-guaranteed software,it is extremely unlikely that any personal information that you transmit to us will be disclosed.In any instance where you have discovered or suspected fraud,you need to contact your credit card companies immediately.That's our security guarantee.And for you,it means there is no risk when shopping at our store.

We are trying our best to do best service for you here,we are your best choice,come on!

Sound fishy? Yeah, probably Chinese seller and no way to contact them.. My DD got scammed from one of these outfits.