Chip On Your Shoulder

to have a grievance or to hold anger about something.

Examples:

  • Danny seems to have a chip on his shoulder. I wonder what happened.
  • Yes, I do have a chip on my shoulder. I am tired of you coming late to the office every day.

Origin: In the old days, when a person was angry with someone, they would put a wood chip on their shoulder. If the other person knocked it off, it meant that they were ready to fight.