   Mash Your MouthIn Appalachian and Southern speech, "mash your mouth" is a threat made when someone is being sassy or mouthy. It means to smack or hit the mouth to stop the backtalk. #SouthernSayings #Appalachia #People&Relationships #OldTimers #Southern Hillbilly Dude Says...  I heard the threat 'I'll mash your mouth' for sassin' plenty enough growin' up, but I haven't heard it in awhile. Pronunciation[MASH yur MOWTH] Meaning & Usage- A threat of punishment for sass or backtalk (verb phrase, figurative)
Mae:
He got mouthy again?
Earl:
Yep, and I told him I’d mash his mouth.★ The word "mash" gives this phrase its Southern flavor. Country folks say "mash the button" or "mash the brakes," so "mash your mouth" fits the same pattern. ★ Origin"Mash" has meant "to press or crush" since Old English, but in Southern and Appalachian speech it’s used broadly in place of "press" or "smash." This gave rise to colorful phrases like "mash your mouth." NotesStill remembered in Southern/Appalachian families as a strong scolding phrase. It’s rarely meant literally - often more of a warning to stop sass than a promise of real punishment. See also: hush your mouth, bust your rear end. Say It Like a SouthernerSaid plain: "mash yer mouth." | About We are a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia, but wide as the world. Read more... |
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