proverb · Words worth keeping
A chip of the old block.
A chip of the old block.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Someone resembles a parent or another familiar predecessor in character, habits or manner. The image describes a noticeable likeness, which may be affectionate or critical depending on the trait and the speaker’s tone.
Example
When a daughter sketches an elaborate plan for a camping trip, her aunt affectionately recalls how her father used to draw equally detailed holiday maps.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
A chip broken from a block shares something of the material from which it came. The expression uses that image for a person whose behaviour recalls an older family member or predecessor. It might refer to a shared sense of humour, a way of tackling problems or a less welcome habit. The likeness is the point; the saying does not establish how the trait was acquired or whether it is inherited. Nor does one resemblance determine the whole person. Used thoughtfully, it identifies a particular observed similarity while allowing the younger person a separate identity and different choices.
When to use it
Use it for a specific resemblance between a person and a parent or predecessor.
Keep in mind
A resemblance is not proof of inheritance, an identical personality or a fixed future.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown
- Culture
- English