Bleedin’ Like a Stuck Pig

In Southern and Appalachian speech, bleeding like a stuck pig means bleeding heavily or profusely. The saying draws on imagery from traditional hog butchering, where a "stuck" pig (one being bled after slaughter) loses blood quickly.

#SouthernSayings #Appalachia #Animals #Southern #FarmTalk #BodyandHealth

synonyms: bleeding bad, bleeding everywhere, bleeding out

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I've heard 'bleeding like a stuck pig' before, but I didn't hear it growin' up. I'm guessing my Momma shut that one down early, before I came along (since my Dad grew up on a farm with a smokehouse).

Hillbilly Dude Says...

Pronunciation

[BLEE-din like uh STUHK PIG]
/ˈbliːdɪn laɪk ə stʌk pɪɡ/

Meaning & Usage

- Bleeding heavily (idiom)

Earl:

You oughta see Tommy - he’s bleeding like a stuck pig!

Clyde:

He’ll live. Get some paper towels.

variations: bleedin’ like a stuck pig, bleeding like a stuck hog

★ This one’s more colorful than cruel - country folks used it long after the butchering days, just to mean "bleeding a lot." You’ll still hear it in small towns and hunting camps. ★

Origin and Etymology

The phrase dates back to the 1800s, rooted in rural hog-slaughtering practices common across the American South. "Sticking" referred to the act of cutting a pig’s throat to drain its blood quickly. Over time, the vivid image became a metaphor for excessive bleeding in people.

Usage Notes

Still common in rural and Southern English, "bleeding like a stuck pig" carries rustic, old-fashioned charm. Though graphic in imagery, it’s almost always used humorously or exaggeratedly, not literally. Variants such as "bleed like a stuck hog" appear in older farming dialects.

Kin Topics

Common Questions

Is "bleeding like a stuck pig" considered offensive?

Not generally. It’s vivid but not vulgar - more folksy than shocking.

Where does the expression come from?

It comes from traditional hog butchering, where pigs were "stuck" with a knife to drain blood after slaughter.

Do people still use it today?

Yes, particularly in rural and Southern regions, though it may sound old-fashioned to younger speakers.

How to Cite This Page

APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, October 20). Bleeding Like a Stuck Pig. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/bleeding-like-a-stuck-pig
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "Bleeding Like a Stuck Pig." HillbillySlang.com, 20 Oct. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/bleeding-like-a-stuck-pig.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "Bleeding Like a Stuck Pig." HillbillySlang.com. October 20, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/bleeding-like-a-stuck-pig.