chupse

English

Etymology

Onomatopoeic.

Noun

chupse

1. (Barbados) The sound produced by sucking air between the teeth, expressing displeasure, incredulity, etc.
   • 1970, Frank A Collymore, Notes for a glossary of words and phrases of Barbadian dialect:

     There is the small effortless chupse of indifference; the thin hard chupse of mere disdain; the long, liquid, vibrating chupse which shakes the rafters and expresses every kind of defiance."

   • 1972, Edward Samuel Maynard, Endogamy Among Barbadian Immigrants to New York City:

     What was apparent, however, was a certain apologetic attitude such as "he's an American (chupse) but he's all right."

   • 1990, Harry S Pariser, The Adventure Guide to Barbados:

     The "chupse," a sound formed by sucking in the air between one's teeth, may convey disgust, boredom, frustration, or a combination of all three.

   • 2006, Willi Chen, Under the Perfume Tree:

     A child's sucking of his teeth, known classically as a Bajan "chupse", when done in response to a parent's order to do something...

Verb

chupse (third-person singular simple present chupses, present participle chupsing, simple past and past participle chupsed)

1. (Barbados) To produce such a sound.
   • 1973, Caribbean Artists Movement, Savacou:

     But Elmina only chupse and say, "But Grandma, I like James, though. I can't help it, I like he bad...

   • 1991, Timothy Callender, It So Happen:

     His mother chupse and reach for her pocketbook. "I going give yuh," she say, "And I going wait and see what happen."

   • 1994, Peter Morgan, The Life and Times of Errol Barrow:

     Whenever he did get this message Crawford would 'chupse' and say, "That mad man upstairs? Man, don't pay him no mind."

Anagrams

• cheups