Meaning
To suck the teeth — that sharp sound made by drawing air through the teeth to show contempt, annoyance, or dismissal. Also called the 'kiss-teeth' or 'suck-teeth', it is one of the most expressive sounds in Jamaican communication, and 'chups' names both the sound and the act.
Examples
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She chups an walk weh.
She sucked her teeth and walked away.
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Him gi a long chups when him hear di news.
He gave a long suck-teeth when he heard the news.
-
Nuh chups pon mi.
Don't suck your teeth at me.
Doing so is rude and dismissive.
Origin
An imitation of the sound itself; the tooth-sucking gesture is a widespread West African and Caribbean form of non-verbal expression.
How it’s used
The length and force of the 'chups' carry meaning — a short one is mild, a long drawn-out one shows deep contempt. Doing it at an elder is very disrespectful.