   Get Your Tail in GearIn Appalachian and Southern speech, "get your tail in gear" means hurry up, get moving, or start doing what you’re supposed to. It’s a playful but firm way of telling someone to act. #SouthernSayings #Appalachia #TravelandLocation #Southern #MoneyWorkandChores #BodyandHealth Hillbilly Dude Says...  I still hear 'get your tail in gear' - and heard it plenty growin' up! Hillbilly Dude Says... I still hear 'get your tail in gear' - and heard it plenty growin' up! Pronunciation[GET chur TAYL in GEAR] Meaning & Usage- To hurry up; get going (imperative phrase)
Mae:
We’re leavin’ in five minutes.
Earl:
Then you’d better get your tail in gear.- To start working or acting (figurative)
Mae:
Team looked lazy today.
Earl:
Coach said to get our tails in gear.variations: move your tail ★ Using "tail" keeps it family-friendly - strong enough to motivate, but not rude. Parents, teachers, and coaches all used it to spur kids into action. ★ Origin and EtymologyBlends the old rural use of "tail" for backside with the 20th-century phrase "in gear" (from cars and machinery). Together it became a colorful Southern/Appalachian way to say "get moving." Usage NotesStill common in the South and Appalachia. Recognized elsewhere in the U.S., but carries a country, folksy tone. Related to sayings like haulin’ tail and tail. Say It Like a SouthernerSaid plain: "git-cher tail ’n gear." | ...
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... |
Slang and folklore change from place to place - this is how I know it. Read the full disclaimer and terms of use →
© Hillbilly Slang | Original audio and content not for reproduction or AI training without permission. Keeping the Mountains Talking 'Til The Cows Come Home