bowed up
In Appalachian and Southern speech, "bowed up" means to stiffen, bristle, or get defensive - like an animal arching its back. It’s used for people, animals, or even machines acting up.
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Hillbilly Dude Says...
I'd say 'bowed up' is one you hear more out in the country. Pronunciation
[BOHD up] (rhymes with "road")
Meaning & Usage
- To bristle or get defensive (verb phrase)
Mae:
I told him to move along.
I told him to move along.
Earl:
And he bowed up like he was fixin’ to fight.
And he bowed up like he was fixin’ to fight.- To puff up with pride or confidence (verb phrase)
Mae:
She bowed up over her kid’s good grades.
She bowed up over her kid’s good grades.other spellings: bow up, bristle up, puff up, tense up
★ "Bowed up" is one of those expressions rooted in animal behavior - like a cat arching its back or a rooster puffing up its chest. It’s a vivid way to describe someone tensing or bristling. ★
Origin
Documented in the Dictionary of American Regional English as chiefly South and South Midland. Reflects older Scots-Irish and rural animal-based metaphors carried into Appalachian speech.
Notes
Still widely used today in the South and Appalachia to describe both people and animals. Outside the region it’s rare but usually clear from context.
Say It Like a Southerner
Say it plain: "bowed up." The "bowed" rhymes with "road" not "cow."