chav, n.: Pronunciation: Brit. /tʃav/ , U.S. /tʃæv/Etymology: Probably either < Romani čhavo unmarried Romani male, male Romani child (see chavvy n.), or shortened < either chavvy n. or its etymon Angloromani chavvy.
It has also been suggested that this word is a colloquial shortening of Chatham, the name of a town in Kent where the term is sometimes said to have originated (compare quots. 1998, 2002), although this is probably a later rationalization.
Brit. slang (derogatory).
In the United Kingdom (originally the south of England): a young person of a type characterized by brash and loutish behaviour and the wearing of designer-style clothes (esp. sportswear); usually with connotations of a low social status.
1998 Re: Commuter blues! in uk.local.kent (Usenet newsgroup) 8 May, Travelling from Maidstone to Chatham every day was bad enough. I was born in Brompton so am I a Chav or what?
2002 Observer 26 May i. 5/5 Meet the Chatham Girls, known as ‘Chavs’, whose fashion sense and reputation for easy virtue have earned them a global following as worthy successors to their northern neighbours [sc. Essex Girls].
2004 Sunday Times (Nexis) 15 Aug. (News Rev. section) 4 Older children desire nothing more than to dress, talk and behave like chavs, that is, a youth tribe that prides itself on council-estate chic—man-made fabrics, fake labels and lots of eight-carat gold: think Vicky Pollard in Little Britain.
- from the OED
i. love. chavs.
i love everything about chavs.
the beauty about chavs is that they are all around us. hiding in plain sight. they might even be your favorite celebrity. why yes, Daniel Craig is a chav. here is proof:
in an ongoing series (?), i will bring forth evidence of a variety of chavs, and teach you how to spot a chav from over 500 feet away. in this installment, find out what percentage chav you are. i cheated, since i know a bit of chav-speak, and got 25%. that's a number i'm more than comfortable with.
Chavometer.com - it's for findin' out if you're a chav, innit!!
PS: did you know you can log in to the OED online with your library card number? amazing.
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