mouth

[ noun mouth; verb mouth ]

/ noun maʊθ; verb maʊð /

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See synonyms for: mouth / mouthed / mouthing on Thesaurus.com

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.

OTHER WORDS FOR mouth

5 voice, speech.

See synonyms for mouth on Thesaurus.com

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Idioms about mouth

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.

Origin of mouth

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

OTHER WORDS FROM mouth

mouther, nounmouthless, adjectiveoutmouth, verb (used with object)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use mouth in a sentence

Really, is it any wonder that fluoride should freak people out?
Anti-Fluoriders Are The OG Anti-Vaxxers|Michael Schulson|July 27, 2016|DAILY BEAST
Added to drinking water at concentrations of around one part per million, fluoride ions stick to dental plaque.
Anti-Fluoriders Are The OG Anti-Vaxxers|Michael Schulson|July 27, 2016|DAILY BEAST
For a while yoga and pilates classes were sought out at luxury gyms like Equinox.
How Taryn Toomey’s ‘The Class’ Became New York’s Latest Fitness Craze|Lizzie Crocker|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
On Thursday, Garcetti ruled himself out of the race to succeed Boxer.
The Golden State Preps for the ‘Red Wedding’ of Senate Races|David Freedlander|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST

In his view, a writer has only one duty: to be present in his books.
Houellebecq’s Incendiary Novel Imagines France With a Muslim President|Pierre Assouline|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Practise gliding in the form of inflection, or slide, from one extreme of pitch to another.
Expressive Voice Culture|Jessie Eldridge Southwick
He alludes to it as one of their evil customs and used by them to produce insensibility.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.
There was a rumor that Alessandro and his father had both died; but no one knew anything certainly.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
You need but will, and it is done; but if you relax your efforts, you will be ruined; for ruin and recovery are both from within.
Pearls of Thought|Maturin M. Ballou
And he was gone, and out of sight on the swift galloping Benito, before Father Gaspara bethought himself.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson

British Dictionary definitions for mouth

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 forms of mouth

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with mouth

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

mouth

OTHER WORDS FOR mouth

Idioms about mouth

Origin of mouth

OTHER WORDS FROM mouth

Words related to mouth

How to use mouth in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for mouth

Derived forms of mouth

Word Origin for mouth

Other Idioms and Phrases with mouth