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poor-mouth

[poo r-mouth]Informal.
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verb (used without object), poor-mouthed [poo r-moutht, -mouth d] /ˈpʊərˌmaʊθt, -ˌmaʊðd/, poor-mouth·ing.
  1. to lament or argue that one is too poor; plead poverty.
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verb (used with object), poor-mouthed [poo r-moutht, -mouth d] /ˈpʊərˌmaʊθt, -ˌmaʊðd/, poor-mouth·ing.
  1. to declare (one's ability, power, position, etc.) to be inadequate or disappointing, sometimes as an intentional understatement; downplay: We know you're just poor-mouthing your skill at playing bridge—you're a good player.
  2. bad-mouth.
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Origin of poor-mouth

1965–70; Americanism; orig. in verb phrases put up a poor mouth, make a poor mouth

poor mouth

noun Informal.
  1. a person who continually complains about a lack of money.
  2. a plea or complaint of poverty, often as an excuse for not contributing to charities, paying bills, etc.
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Idioms
  1. cry poor mouth, to complain, especially habitually, about a lack of money.Also talk a poor mouth.
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Origin of poor mouth

First recorded in 1815–25
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

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British Dictionary definitions for poor-mouth

poor mouth

noun
  1. unjustified complaining, esp to excite sympathyshe always has the poor mouth
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verb poor-mouth (tr)
  1. informal to speak of disparagingly; decry
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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