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3. chew up the scenery

chew up the scenery

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chew up the scenery

To be exaggeratedly or flamboyantly melodramatic or overly emotional while acting a role, as for television, theater, or film. I hated working with him on that play—every night he'd go out and chew up the scenery so much that he was the only one the audience noticed! I love watching hammy actors chew up the scenery in bad movies.

See also: chew, scenery, up