mouthing

[ mou-th ing ]

/ ˈmaʊ ðɪŋ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR mouthing ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the action of speaking in a meaningless, bombastic, or hypocritical manner.

an instance of this.

Nearby words

mouthbreeder, mouthbrooder, mouthed, mouthfeel, mouthful, mouthing, mouthpart, mouthpiece, mouthwash, mouthwatering, mouthy

Definition for mouthing (2 of 2)

mouth

[ noun mouth; verb mouth ]

/ noun maʊθ; verb maʊð /

noun, plural mouths [mouthz] /maʊðz/.

Anatomy, Zoology.

the opening through which an animal or human takes in food.
the cavity containing the structures used in mastication.
the structures enclosing or being within this cavity, considered as a whole.

the masticating and tasting apparatus.

a person or animal dependent on someone for sustenance: another mouth to feed.

the oral opening or cavity considered as the source of vocal utterance.

utterance or expression: to give mouth to one's thoughts.

talk, especially loud, empty, or boastful talk: That man is all mouth.

disrespectful talk or language; back talk; impudence.

a grimace made with the lips.

an opening leading out of or into any cavity or hollow place or thing: the mouth of a cave; a bottle's mouth.

the outfall at the lower end of a river or stream, where flowing water is discharged, as into a lake, sea, or ocean: the mouth of the Nile.

the opening between the jaws of a vise or the like.

the lateral hole of an organ pipe.

the lateral blowhole of a flute.

verb (used with object)

to utter in a sonorous or pompous manner, or with excessive mouth movements: to mouth a speech.

to form (a word, sound, etc.) with the lips without actually making an utterance: She silently mouthed her answer so as not to wake her napping child.

to utter or pronounce softly and indistinctly; mumble: Stop mouthing your words and speak up.

to put or take into the mouth, as food.

to press, rub, or chew at with the mouth or lips: The dog mouthed the toys.

to accustom (a horse) to the use of the bit and bridle.

verb (used without object)

to speak sonorously and oratorically, or with excessive mouth movement.

to grimace with the lips.

Verb Phrases

mouth off, Slang.

to talk back; sass: He mouthed off to his mother.
to express one's opinions, objections, or the like in a forceful or uninhibited manner, especially in public.

Origin of mouth

before 900; Middle English; Old English mūth; cognate with German Mund, Old Norse munnr

SYNONYMS FOR mouth

5 voice, speech.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR mouth ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsmouth·er, nounmouth·less, adjectiveout·mouth, verb (used with object)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for mouthing

Swift erupts, as they argue while mouthing the lyrics of the song.
Taylor Swift’s ‘Blank Space’: Hell Hath No Fury Like A Tay-Tay Scorned|Sujay Kumar|November 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He was mouthing off, Sady contended, and he never said a word about any specific plot to kill Americans.
Jury Set to Decide Whether FBI Entrapped Bomb Plotter Mohamed Mohamud|Winston Ross|January 31, 2013|DAILY BEAST
If I had an opinion, this would be"—she's mouthing now—"No. 1.
The Great College Road Trip|Nick Summers|April 8, 2011|DAILY BEAST
As Obama uttered these words, Justice Samuel Alito was seen shaking his head and mouthing the words “not true.”
Note to Alito: Obama Was Right|Paul Campos|January 28, 2010|DAILY BEAST

She complied, albeit sheepishly, mouthing one that was surprisingly conventional and all-American.
Man Ray Revealed|Philip Gefter|November 12, 2009|DAILY BEAST
The heavy-headed buffaloes betray it equally with the vultures, the myriad kites, the grotesqueness of the mouthing camels.
Incredible Adventures|Algernon Blackwood
Growling, mouthing as though it would try and form human words of menace, it picked itself up and shambled toward Elza.
Tarrano the Conqueror|Raymond King Cummings
Mrs. Jones went on with her part, mouthing her lines meaninglessly.
The Morning Glory Club|George A. Kyle
In those days every other young man you met was mouthing the great renunciation scene from the Mill Hand.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 150, May 3, 1916|Various
Mouthing these words again and again, the parson forced his way through the surge in the wake of the buffalo.
Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern, Vol. 7|Various

British Dictionary definitions for mouthing

mouth

noun (maʊθ) plural mouths (maʊðz)

the opening through which many animals take in food and issue vocal sounds

the system of organs surrounding this opening, including the lips, tongue, teeth, etc

the visible part of the lips on the faceRelated adjectives: oral, oscular

a person regarded as a consumer of foodfour mouths to feed

verbal expression (esp in the phrase give mouth to)

a particular manner of speakinga foul mouth

informal boastful, rude, or excessive talkhe is all mouth

the point where a river issues into a sea or lake

the opening of a container, such as a jar

the opening of or place leading into a cave, tunnel, volcano, etc

that part of the inner lip of a horse on which the bit acts, esp when specified as to sensitivitya hard mouth

music the narrow slit in an organ pipe

the opening between the jaws of a vice or other gripping device

a pout; grimace

by word of mouth orally rather than by written means

down in the mouth or down at the mouth in low spirits

have a big mouth or open one's big mouth informal to speak indiscreetly, loudly, or excessively

keep one's mouth shut to keep a secret

put one's money where one's mouth is to take appropriate action to support what one has said

put words into someone's mouth

to represent, often inaccurately, what someone has said
to tell someone what to say

run off at the mouth informal to talk incessantly, esp about unimportant matters

verb (maʊð)

to speak or say (something) insincerely, esp in public

(tr) to form (words) with movements of the lips but without speaking

(tr) to accustom (a horse) to wearing a bit

(tr) to take (something) into the mouth or to move (something) around inside the mouth

(intr usually foll by at) to make a grimace

Derived Formsmouther (ˈmaʊðə), noun

Word Origin for mouth

Old English mūth; compare Old Norse muthr, Gothic munths, Dutch mond

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for mouthing (1 of 2)

mouth

Old English muþ "mouth, opening, door, gate," from Proto-Germanic *munthaz (cf. Old Saxon, Old Frisian muth, Old Norse munnr, Danish mund, Middle Dutch mont, Dutch mond, Old High German mund, German Mund, Gothic munþs "mouth"), with characteristic loss of nasal consonant in Old English (cf. tooth, goose, etc.), from PIE *mnto-s (cf. Latin mentum "chin"). In the sense of "outfall of a river" it is attested from late Old English; as the opening of anything with capacity (a bottle, cave, etc.) it is recorded from c.1200. Mouth-organ attested from 1660s.

Word Origin and History for mouthing (1 of 2)

mouth

c.1300, "to speak," from mouth (n.). Related: Mouthed; mouthing. Old English had muðettan "to blab."

Medicine definitions for mouthing

mouth

[ mouth ]

n. pl. mouths (mouðz)

The body opening through which an animal takes in food.

The oral cavity.

The opening to any cavity or canal in an organ or a bodily part.

Idioms and Phrases with mouthing

mouth

In addition to the idiom beginning with mouth

mouth off

also see:

bad mouth
big mouth
butter wouldn't melt in one's mouth
down in the dumps (mouth)
foam at the mouth
foot in one's mouth
from the horse's mouth
hand to mouth
have one's heart in one's mouth
keep one's mouth shut
laugh out of the other side of one's mouth
leave a bad taste in one's mouth
look a gift horse in the mouth
make one's mouth water
melt in one's mouth
not open one's mouth
out of the mouths of babes
put one's money where one's mouth is
put words in someone's mouth
run off at the mouth
shoot off one's mouth
take the bit in one's mouth
take the bread out of someone's mouth
take the words out of someone's mouth
word of mouth

mouthing

noun

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RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Definition for mouthing (2 of 2)

mouth

noun, plural mouths [mouthz] /maʊðz/.

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Verb Phrases

Origin of mouth

Examples from the Web for mouthing

British Dictionary definitions for mouthing

mouth

noun (maʊθ) plural mouths (maʊðz)

verb (maʊð)

Word Origin for mouth

Word Origin and History for mouthing (1 of 2)

mouth

Word Origin and History for mouthing (1 of 2)

mouth

Medicine definitions for mouthing

mouth

n. pl. mouths (mouðz)

Idioms and Phrases with mouthing

mouth