Chew the fat dates back to the first time in print and that is 1885, from a book written by J Brunlees Patterson called “Life in the Ranks of the British Army in India”. In his book chew the fat was referencing army soldiers gossiping amongst themselves and the junior officers to keep from being bored. This may not be its beginning but it is for its use associated with conversation, the term does go back to when a fat soaked rag end was bitten off to be wrapped around a musket ball while loading.
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