(slang) acts overemotionally in a
situation where it is inappropriate. A variation of
chew the scenery which originally referred to a person in show
business who was overacting in a
play, etc.
Boy, you start talking to the- as soon as he finds out you really
want to talk to him about the
subject and youre not just
blowing off, you know, you really
want to talk about taxation, why, this
guy just gets down and gnaws the rug.
- The Auditor's Public (23 Aug. 55) (slang) acts overemotionally in a
situation where it is inappropriate. A variation of
chew the scenery which originally referred to a person in show
business who was overacting in a
play, etc.