poor mouth

¹ American  

[poor mohth] / ˈpʊər ˌmoʊθ /

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.

poor-mouth ² American  

[poor-mouth] / ˈpʊərˌmaʊθ /

verb (used without object)

poor-mouthed, poor-mouthing

1. to lament or argue that one is too poor; plead poverty.

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verb (used with object)

poor-mouthed, poor-mouthing

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.

poor mouth British  

noun

1. unjustified complaining, esp to excite sympathy

   she always has the poor mouth

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verb

1. informal to speak of disparagingly; decry

Etymology

Origin of poor mouth¹

First recorded in 1815–25

Origin of poor-mouth²

1965–70; originally in verb phrases put up a poor mouth, make a poor mouth

Example Sentences

We are not going to cry the poor mouth, other than to say the reality of this challenge is too much.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2011

But what is making Mancini put on the poor mouth?

From The Guardian • Sep. 24, 2010

But the five pence came in too rapidly for the almanac-maker to persist in putting up a poor mouth of this kind.

From Benjamin Franklin; Self-Revealed, Volume II (of 2) A Biographical and Critical Study Based Mainly on his own Writings by Bruce, Wiliam Cabell

This joke has succeeded; it is no good making a poor mouth!

From The Letters of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — Volume 01 by Nohl, Ludwig

Alfred, Alfred, you are making a poor mouth of it to get out of marrying Ellie.

From Heartbreak House by Shaw, Bernard

Related Words

• curtail
• decrease
• diminish
• downplay
• lessen
• play down
• reduce
• trivialize
• underestimate