Synonyms Examples
See more synonyms for mouthing on Thesaurus.com the action of speaking in a meaningless, bombastic, or hypocritical manner. an instance of this. Show More
mouth [noun mouth; verb mouth ]
noun, plural mouths [mouth z] /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. Show More
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. Show More
verb (used without object) to speak sonorously and oratorically, or with excessive mouth movement. to grimace with the lips. Show More
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. Show More
down in /at the mouth , Informal dejected; depressed; disheartened: Ever since he lost his job, he has been looking very down in the mouth. run off at the mouth , Informal to talk incessantly or indiscreetly. talk out of both sides of one's mouth , to make contradictory or untruthful statements. Show More
Origin of mouth before 900; Middle English; Old English mūth; cognate with German Mund, Old Norse munnr
Related forms mouth·er , noun mouth·less , adjective out·mouth , verb (used with object) Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words for mouthing sneer ,
smirk ,
frown ,
scowl ,
utter ,
express ,
enunciate ,
assert ,
deliver ,
proclaim ,
shout ,
rant ,
babble ,
fume ,
serenade ,
chant ,
warble ,
whistle ,
croon ,
hum Examples from the Web for mouthing Contemporary Examples of mouthing Swift erupts, as they argue while mouthing the lyrics of the song.
He was mouthing off, Sady contended, and he never said a word about any specific plot to kill Americans.
If I had an opinion, this would be"—she's mouthing now—"No. 1.
As Obama uttered these words, Justice Samuel Alito was seen shaking his head and mouthing the words “not true.”
She complied, albeit sheepishly, mouthing one that was surprisingly conventional and all-American.
Historical Examples of mouthing The car had passed and he now openly looked after it, mouthing and muttering.
He paced the length of the room and back, mouthing and muttering.
Mouthing his rage, the gorilla flung the earth man to the ground.
Even the old woman in the shadowy corner had ceased her mouthing .
He must not be allowed to get into the way of just mouthing slang and nothing else.
British Dictionary definitions for mouthing 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 face Related adjectives: oral, oscular a person regarded as a consumer of food four mouths to feed verbal expression (esp in the phrase give mouth to ) a particular manner of speaking a foul mouth informal boastful, rude, or excessive talk he 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 sensitivity a 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 Show More
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 Show More
Derived Forms mouther (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 n. 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.
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v. c.1300, "to speak," from mouth (n.). Related: Mouthed ; mouthing . Old English had muðettan "to blab."
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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. Show More
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Idioms and Phrases with mouthing In addition to the idiom beginning with mouth
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 Show More
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
