<P> `` A chip on the shoulder '' comes from the ancient right of shipwrights within the Royal Navy Dockyards to take home a daily allowance of offcuts of timber , even if good wood was cut up for this purpose . The privilege was instated as a prescriptive right from 1634 . By 1756 , this privilege had been abused and was costing taxpayers too much in lost timber for warship repair and construction . The decision was then made by the Navy Board to limit the quantity a shipwright could carry home . A warrant was issued to the Royal Dockyards to reduce the quantity of chips by ordering shipwrights to carry their bundles under their arms instead of on their shoulders , as one could not carry as much timber in this fashion . The specific incident from which the expression derives is as follows : </P>
<P> `` A chip on the shoulder '' comes from the ancient right of shipwrights within the Royal Navy Dockyards to take home a daily allowance of offcuts of timber , even if good wood was cut up for this purpose . The privilege was instated as a prescriptive right from 1634 . By 1756 , this privilege had been abused and was costing taxpayers too much in lost timber for warship repair and construction . The decision was then made by the Navy Board to limit the quantity a shipwright could carry home . A warrant was issued to the Royal Dockyards to reduce the quantity of chips by ordering shipwrights to carry their bundles under their arms instead of on their shoulders , as one could not carry as much timber in this fashion . The specific incident from which the expression derives is as follows : </P>
where did chip on his shoulder come from
where did chip on his shoulder come from
the ancient right of shipwrights within the Royal Navy Dockyards to take home a daily allowance of offcuts of timber , even if good wood was cut up for this purpose
the ancient right of shipwrights within the Royal Navy Dockyards to take home a daily allowance of offcuts of timber , even if good wood was cut up for this purpose