stove up
In Appalachian and Southern speech, "stove up" means stiff, sore, or banged up from work, age, or injury. It’s a country way of describing being hurt or not moving easy.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
If somebody's injured around here, you're likely hear it described as 'stove up.' Pronunciation
[stohv uhp]
Meaning & Usage
- Stiff or sore from strain (adjective)
Mae:
You movin’ slow this mornin’.
You movin’ slow this mornin’.
Earl:
Yeah, I’m all stove up from pitchin’ hay yesterday.
Yeah, I’m all stove up from pitchin’ hay yesterday.- Injured or damaged (adjective)
Mae:
Truck run alright?
Truck run alright?
Earl:
Naw, it’s all stove up from hittin’ that ditch.
Naw, it’s all stove up from hittin’ that ditch.other spellings: stiff, sore, banged up, hurting, I’m stove up from haulin’ hay, He got stove up in that wreck, and She’s stove up with rheumatism
★ "Stove up" usually applies to people, but country folks also use it for things like trucks, tools, or buildings that got banged up. ★
Origin
From the past participle of "stave," meaning to break in or crush. "Staved up" became "stove up" in rural American English. It took on the figurative sense of being hurt, stiff, or damaged - and stuck in Southern/Appalachian talk.
Notes
Still common in Southern and Appalachian speech, especially among older speakers and in farm talk. Younger folks may use it less, but they’ll recognize it.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "stove up." Smooth, no pause - "stoveup."