All Bowed Up
In Southern and Appalachian speech, "all bowed up" means puffed up, defensive, or ready to fight. It can also describe traffic, machinery, or chores being jammed up and stopped. The all adds emphasis, making it a colorful, old-timey saying.
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synonyms: puffed up, riled up, jammed up, stuck, seized up
Hillbilly Dude Says...
'All bowed up' is one of 'em that you'll hear more as you get out into the country. And it's more regional.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
'All bowed up' is one of 'em that you'll hear more as you get out into the country. And it's more regional.
Pronunciation
[AWL BOH-d up]
/ɑːl boʊd ʌp/
/ɑːl boʊd ʌp/
Meaning & Usage
- Defensive or ready to fight (idiom)
Hazel:
He got all bowed up when I told him to slow down.
He got all bowed up when I told him to slow down.
Earl:
That boy’s temper is quicker than kindlin’.
That boy’s temper is quicker than kindlin’.- Stopped or jammed (idiom)
Ruby:
Why’s the hay baler sittin’ still?
Why’s the hay baler sittin’ still?
Clyde:
It’s all bowed up again.
It’s all bowed up again.variations: all bow’d up, all bowin’ up
★ "All bowed up" is the emphatic form of bowed up. Southerners often add "all" for flavor, just like "plumb tuckered out" or "slam full." ★
Origin and Etymology
Drawn from Southern/Appalachian oral tradition of the 20th century. The base form bowed up likely came from the image of animals bowing their backs when riled. Adding "all" turned it into a stronger, more colorful idiom used in everyday country talk.
Usage Notes
- Distinctly Southern/Appalachian; rarely heard outside the region.
- Works both for people’s tempers and for machinery/traffic being jammed.
- "All" is the intensifier that makes it sound especially folksy.
Kin Topics
Related Pages
How to Cite This Page
- APA (7th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, September 29). All Bowed Up. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/all-bowed-up
- MLA (9th edition)"The Hillbilly Dude." "All Bowed Up." HillbillySlang.com, 29 Sept. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/all-bowed-up.
- Chicago (17th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. "All Bowed Up." HillbillySlang.com. September 29, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/all-bowed-up.
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Created by The Hillbilly Dude, this site is a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia but reaching across the world. Every slang word, saying, accent and story is gathered from first-hand experience and trusted sources. The goal: preserve authentic voices and share them with writers, learners, and culture lovers everywhere - with a little humor thrown in here and there. Read more...