Tuckered Out
In Southern and Appalachian speech, "Tuckered Out" means tired or worn out - a long-standing phrase that also appears in other rural American dialects.
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Hillbilly Dude Says...
You’ll hear "Tuckered Out" in Southern and Appalachian speech to describe someone tired, worn out, or exhausted - a classic old-time expression. Pronunciation
[TUCK-erd OUT] /ˈtʌkɚd aʊt/
Meaning & Usage
- Tired or worn out (adjective)
Clara:
How’s the crew doing?
How’s the crew doing?
Roy:
They’re tuckered out after that fence-raising.
They’re tuckered out after that fence-raising.variations: Worn Out, Give Out, Plumb Tuckered Out, Exhausted
★ "Tuckered out" probably originated from an old English dialect word "tucker" meaning "to beat" or "to tire." It became especially common in Appalachian and rural Southern speech, often paired with "plumb" for extra emphasis ("plumb tuckered out"). ★
Origin
Recorded in Appalachian English from the 19th century onward. Derived from British dialect "tucker" (to tire) and carried to the U.S. by settlers; it became a staple of rural American and Southern speech.
Notes
Still widely used in rural Southern/Appalachian speech. Outside the region it’s considered quaint or humorous but instantly understood as "tired."
Say It Like a Southerner
Say it natural: "tuckered out" - "tuckered" often softened to "tuck-erd," especially in rural speech.