hush up
In Appalachian and Southern speech, "hush up" means be quiet or stop talking. It can be sharp scolding or light teasing, depending on tone.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
Instead of 'shut up', hush up is more polite down here. Pronunciation
[HUHSH uhp]
Meaning & Usage
- Be quiet; stop talking (imperative)
Mae:
They’re makin’ a racket.
They’re makin’ a racket.
Earl:
Tell ’em to hush up.
Tell ’em to hush up.- Playful disbelief (figurative)
Mae:
She married a millionaire.
She married a millionaire.
Earl:
Oh, hush up!
Oh, hush up!other spellings: be quiet, shut up (softer), quit talkin’, settle down, hush up, y’all, hush up now and listen, and oh hush up, you don’t mean it
★ "Hush up" can sound stern when said to children, but among adults it’s often teasing or affectionate. Tone makes all the difference. ★
Origin
From the old verb "hush" (to be silent), first recorded in the 14th century. "Hush up" as a phrasal form became common in American rural speech, especially in the South and Appalachia.
Notes
Still widely used in Southern/Appalachian speech. Elsewhere in the U.S. it may sound quaint or old-fashioned, but people recognize it from Southern talk and culture.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "hush up." Sometimes softened to "hush."