Thursday, December 18, 2014

More Southern Slang Words and Phrases




There are several posts on this blog about Southern Slang and old timey sayings.  And there continue to be more and more which come to mind.  It's never ending....fun.

Here are some of the latest I've remembered and some which have been shared.  These words and sayings are very hard for me to define.  I just use them without thinking of alternatives.  They just slip out.


  • Wet my whistle = I'm thirsty and need a drink of water
  • Hee hawing around = taking too much time to make up your mind about something
  • For the day = referencing something in the past.  "For the day it was a good idea."
  • Back in the day = "back in the day we didn't do that."
  • Young whipper snapper = young person who needs to learn more about life.
  • Those were the days = good memories of the past
  • Not right off hand = I don't have the answer
  • If they ain't a blessing', their a lesson.
  • Couldn't hit the broad side of the barn = bad aim
  • He was pickin' em up and puttin' em down = 
  • I'm on top of it = someone asks you if you are completing a projected-or if you are on task
  • It's so good it will get you tore up from the floor up
  • Full as a tick = overeaten (I say "full as soft bellied tick")
  • Pain in the neck = someone who causes you problems; annoying
  • Like a sore headed cat = fussing at someone
  • What you'ins do-in?
  • Hanging in there like a hair on a biscuit = doing okay
  • Worthless as teets on a boar hog = worthless person
  • No good, do for nothing = worthless person
  • Make like a tree and leave
  • Spread out like an eight day wash
  • Rode hard and put up wet = ugly woman
  • Your squirrel headed dingbat
  • He couldn't hit water if he was standing on a bridge = bad aim
  • Hotter than a $3 pistol = stolen
  • Broad as a axe handle = woman's behind
  • Now, you straighten up and act like somebody = someone who is behaving badly 
  • A heavy rain = frog strangler
  • Dancing like a cat on a hot tin roof = in trouble
  • Can't hit a cow on it's backside with a base fiddle = incompetent person
  • Shut that door.  You wasn't born in a barn.  or   Shut the door. You wasn't raised in a barn.  = someone with bad manners.
  • Scarce as a hen's teeth
  • Makin' do = getting by
  • Mad as a wet hen = extremely angry
  • A worthless person is called "sorry".   "He's a sorry excuse for a father."
  • Like a cat covering up poop on a marble floor.
  • You gotta risk it to get the biscuit = to be successful
  • You gotta pay to play = have to work to have fun
  • Too big for your britches = cocky
  • Got the big head = cocky
  • Wild itch = you want to do something
  • Expensive tastes but shallow pockets
  • I have a wine taste on a beer budget.
  • Cat steal a baby's breath.  In the olden days folks would say to not leave a cat in the house with a baby.  The cat would steal the baby's breath.  Wonder if that was actually cases of SIDS???
  • Gully Jumper = folks who moved from Robinsville and Murphy, NC by crossing knobs into Corntassel and Soak communities in East TN.
  • Mark your baby = if you see something traumatic while pregnant something will be wrong with your baby-such as birthmarks.  Ole wives tale.
  • Ole Wives tale= gibberish that old women made up a long time ago or superstition. 
  • Buy for what you think it's worth and sell for what they think it's worth.
  • Fast as a cat can wink it's eye
  • Jitterbug = nervous sort of person = hyper
  • Just a tad = a small amount
  • Did me in = emotionally taken on too much, can't handle anymore
  • Sleep on it = think about something over night before making a decision
  • Worry wort = someone who worries over everything
  • No use arguing (crying) over spoiled (spilled) milk = it's already done, no use thinking about it
  • Live high on the hog = think they are rich.  Wealthy person
  • If I had my druthers = if I had my way
  • Hick = hillbilly
  • Maybe it'll turn'up = you'll find it
  • Hurts like a boil = very painful-emotionally or physically
  • I ain't got two nickels to rub together = poor = broke
  • Hurts like the dickens = very painful.  Emotionally or physically
  • Sweating like a pig = very hot
  • I'm tore up = Upset, angry
  • Crazy as a bessie bug
  • "I'm right there with ya!" = feel what you're feeling, know what you're going through
  • Let bygones be bygones = don't worry about it; it's in the past; let it go
  • Give me a yell = call me on the phone or come visit me
  • Holler back atcha = I'll call you back later or come see you later
  • Galley vanting or galley batten = wasting time
  • Runs over rocks it's okay - water in
  •  a stream-it's clean if it runs over rocks
  • Time to turn the mules out = go home or quit
  • Whatever trips your trigger = whatever makes you happy
  • Whatever floats your boat = whatever makes you happy
  • Of the devil = very bad person.  "She is of the devil."
  • A little bit honey on the biscuit goes a long way = if you are nice to people you'll get better results. show kindness
  • Catch more flies with honey/sugar than vinegar =  kindness gets you farther
  • Squeaky wheel get the grease/oil = speak up to get what you want
Please share Southern words or phrases or comments!  Would love to hear from you.

Links to my other Southern speak posts:


More Southern Slang


None the same

Ants in your pants = Can't sit still

Pondering = thinking about something

Sweep under your feet = you'll never get married.

Stick in the mud = you're no fun

Awful pretty = you're beautiful

Wasn't too much long ago = just a while back = means a few weeks ago

You know better than that = said when you're in trouble with your parents

Feeling puny = feel sick

Common when leaving someone's house to say "come go with us"  or "go with us" instead of goodbye

Palm is itching = you're going to come into some money

Foot is itching = you're going to stand on strange ground soon

Nose is itching = someone is coming to see you

Ears are burning = someone is talking about you

Chill all over = devil walked by

Sudden quick silence = angel flew over

Hold your breath over a bridget = so it won't fall