Sulled Up Like a Possum
In Southern and Appalachian speech, "Sulled Up Like a ’Possum" is a colorful simile meaning someone is pouting, stubbornly withdrawn, or refusing to engage.
#SouthernSayings #Appalachia #Animals #PeopleandRelationships #Nature #Southern
Hillbilly Dude Says...
I'd say 'sulled up like a possum' is more regional and old timers, because I can't pinpoint hearin' it. Hillbilly Dude Says...
I'd say 'sulled up like a possum' is more regional and old timers, because I can't pinpoint hearin' it. Pronunciation
[SULLD up like a POSS-um] /sʌld ʌp laɪk ə ˈpɒsəm/
Meaning & Usage
- Pouting, sulking, or withdrawing stubbornly (simile)
Clara:
He wanted his way and didn’t get it.
He wanted his way and didn’t get it.
Earl:
Now he’s sulled up like a ’possum.
Now he’s sulled up like a ’possum.variations: Sull Up Like a ’Possum, Sulky as a ’Possum, Sullin’ Up, Poutin’ Like a Child
★ "Sull" or "sull up" is a distinct Southern/Appalachian verb meaning to pout or sulk. Pairing it with a possum - an animal known for curling up or "playing dead" - creates a vivid picture of stubborn withdrawal. ★
Origin and Etymology
"Sull" comes from older Scots-Irish and regional English roots meaning to sulk or become stubborn. Rural Southerners extended it with "like a ’possum" because opossums are familiar for their curling/playing-dead behavior.
Usage Notes
Still strongly associated with rural Southern/Appalachian speech. Outside the region "sulled up" is rarely understood, which makes the whole saying sound especially local or old-timey.
Say It Like a Southerner
Say it natural: "sulled up like a ’possum," with "sulled" pronounced like "sull’d" and "’possum" dropping the initial "o."
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