   Blow Up Like a BullfrogIn Southern and Appalachian speech, "blow up like a bullfrog" means to get angry, puffed up, or overfilled-either from temper or from eating too much. It paints a picture of a bullfrog swelling its throat when riled or full. #SouthernSayings #Appalachia #Animals #PeopleandRelationships #DialectandGrammar #Southern synonyms: fit to bust, puffed up, swelled up, mad as a hornet, full as a tick Hillbilly Dude Says...  I use 'blowed up like a bullfrog - because it tickles me. You'll hear this one out in the country. Pronunciation[BLOHD up lahk uh BULL-frog] /bloʊd ʌp laːk ə ˈbʊl.frɔg/ Meaning & Usage- To become angry or agitated
Lou:
He blowed up like a bullfrog when they shorted his paycheck.
Ray:
Ain’t took much to do it, neither.- To become overly full or stuffed (after eating)
Mama:
You done blowed up like a bullfrog-can’t move, can ya?
Daddy:
Not till dessert.variations: blowed up like a bullfrog, swell up like a bullfrog Origin and EtymologyInspired by the image of a bullfrog inflating its throat when croaking or threatened. The phrase likely arose in rural Southern and Appalachian talk by the early 1900s, first meaning "angry or puffed up," then expanding to include "stuffed or overfull." "Blowed" is the natural past form of "blow" in older and regional Southern English. Usage NotesStill common in Southern storytelling and porch talk. Tone ranges from teasing to descriptive-more funny than cruel.
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About 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... |