“Aren’t You Precious”
This one is a classic for a reason: people in the South say this all the time. Hospitality is the name of the game in this part of the country, and so often snarky comments are disguised with polite expressions like this one. You might hear this if you
Front Seat Passenger
“Reckon”
You may or may not have heard this one, but this one is pretty common to hear. When you’re having a conversation with someone, they could begin the sentence with “I reckon,” meaning “I believe” or “I think.” This word is also pretty common with British English speakers.
Reckon
“See To Christmas”
Funnily enough, this phrase doesn’t actually have to do with Christmas. If you end up wearing an outfit that someone else thinks is a bit too revealing, then they might exclaim that they can “see to Christmas” and that they think you should cover yourself up.
See To Christmas
“Being Ugly”
This one doesn’t mean that someone thinks you’re not attractive, but Southerners won’t be shy about telling you that they think your behavior isn’t great by saying that you’re “being ugly.” This one should be used with caution, especially if you’re not with someone who is from the South.
Being Ugly
“Pretty As A Peach”
If you want to give someone a compliment, you can tell them that they look nice. But if you really want to be Southern about it, then you can say that they look “pretty as a peach.” This is a compliment, as southern peaches are some of the best you’ll find anywhere.
Pretty As A Peach
“Hissy Fit”
While you might have heard to one before, saying that someone is having a “hissy fit” is a very common expression heard about the south. Whether it’s a child that’s throwing a hissy fit or a fully grown adult, it’s really never fun to deal with someone like this.
Hissy Fit
“Too Big For Your Britches”
Let’s start with explaining what the word britches means: it’s your underpants. So this expression doesn’t actually literally mean you’re too big for your underwear, but that you’re getting ahead of yourself or that you think way too much of yourself.
“Too Big For Your Britches”
“Full As A Tick”
We’ve all experienced the sensation of enjoying our food so much that we continue eating until we’re uncomfortably full. You might hear someone in the south say that they’re “full as a tick,” which might sound odd unless you’re familiar with the little bugs. After they enjoy chomping on people (or animals), they tend to balloon up, full of the blood they’ve just sucked. So, while this isn’t so pleasant to think about, it’s actually a good comparison.
Full As A Tick
“Hold Your Horses”
This expression doesn’t literally mean to go and hang onto any horses. This phrase is used in those cases when people are getting impatient, and so it’s appropriate to tell them to “hold their horses,” or to slow down or relax. Once they do hold their horses, others will be much more likely to deal with them.
Hold Your Horses
“If The Creek Don’t Rise”
Many times, you can’t plan everything out in life. When asked about plans, you might not have them completely set in stone, or you might want to leave room for the unexpected. So, a good phrase to use if you’re asked about joining in on plans, you can answer that “if the creek don’t rise,” you’ll be there. It’s a way to answer without giving any guarantees.
“If The Creek Don’t Rise”
“Yankee”
People who are not from the south might not know that Southerners have a special name for them that’s actually a commonly heard phrase: Yankee. This does refer to people from up north, as it dates back to the days of the Civil War, and this is what southerners would call Union soldiers. This is the origin of the baseball team’s name.
Yankee
“Over Yonder”
While asking for directions in the south, don’t be surprised if you hear this one. Somebody might tell you that what you’re looking for is “over yonder,” and it simply means that it’s “over there.”
The Power Of One
“Barking Up The Wrong Tree”
This popular expression is well known all around, but did you know that it actually originated in the south? Barking up the wrong tree refers to someone being wrong about the reason for something or also the way to accomplish something.
Barking Up The Wrong Tree
“Cattywampus”
No, this is not just a random jumble of letters or a a weird way to refer to a cat. In fact, this phrase has nothing to do with cats, but actually means something that’s askew, but can also refer to something that is wild or destructive.
Cattywampus
“Sweating More Than A Sinner In Church”
This phrase is a bit self-explanatory, as it refers to someone who is feeling guilty, as someone who knows that they’re a sinner might be sweating nervously while in a church.
Sweating More Than A Sinner In Church
“Till The Cows Come Home”
This phrase obviously has roots from farming life, and refers to the feeling of waiting on someone or something that will take a long time. So, you can say that you’ll be waiting “till the cows come home,” which usually means a long time, or even forever.
Friesian Cows, Cornwall, UK
“No Bigger Than A Minnow In A Fishing Pond”
This phrase reminds us of the “big fish in a small pond” expression, but it has a different meaning. It is a very descriptive way to say that something is very small, just like a minnow in a fishing pond. Anyone who knows anything about fishing knows that this means really small.
No Bigger Than A Minnow In A Fishing Pond
“Three Sheets To The Wind”
Anyone who has had one too many drinks can relate to this one. If you’ve indulged just a bit too much and you continue with the shenanigans, then someone might be saying that you’re three sheets to the wind. This phrase dates back to nautical talk, since a sheet refers to a rope that’s flailing around in the wind, just like a drunk person does.
Three Sheets To The Wind
“Madder Than A Wet Hen”
Although we’ve never personally seen a wet hen, we imagine that they would not be too pleased about it. Saying that someone is “madder than a wet hen” means that they’re really angry, and it’s probably best to stay out of their way.
Madder Than A Wet Hen
“Fixin’ To”
This one might be confusing to non-southerners, but it’s a common expression that you can easily familiarize yourself with. It simply means that someone is about to do something. For example, if you ask them what they’re up to, they might respond by saying that they’re fixin’ to do some laundry.
Fixin’ To
“A Mind To”
There are a lot of ways of saying you’re thinking about doing something, but in the south, there’s one very common way of saying this. If you’re in the south, you might tell someone that you have “a mind to” to something, for example you have a mind to go for a run, but you’re not sure just how long.
A Mind To
“Piddle”
You might not have heard this one before, but to “piddle” means to be lazy or procrastinating something. You can say that someone is “piddling around” but you can also say that somebody “piddled away” all of their money, so it can be used in several different ways.
Piddle
“Happy As A Pig In Mud”
Here’s another farm animal related phrase whose meaning might not be obvious to you if you aren’t familiar with farm life. However, saying that you’re “happy as a pig in mud” means that you’re quite happy, as pigs truly love rolling around in mud. Now you know!
Happy As A Pig In Mud
“Dog Won’t Hunt”
In many cases in life in the south, dogs were used for hunting, and sometimes still are. So what does it mean when someone says that “dog won’t hunt”? Well, it means that something isn’t going to work or that the explanation is not adequate.
Dog Won’t Hunt
“If I Had My Druthers”
This phrase can be traced back to Broadway musical Li’l Abner, which is from the 1950s and depicted life in the South, actually in a bit of a poking fun kind of way. The expression “if I had my druthers” means “if I had my way.”
If I Had My Druthers
“All Get Out”
This expression means that something is the ultimate, or the ultimate version or example of something. It’s a pretty common phrase, so it’s good to know. You might hear someone says that something is as good as all get out, which means it’s the best it could be.
All Get Out
“Gumption”
“Gumption” is a typical southern expression that you might have already actually heard. If you have gumption, it means you’re bold, but in the positive way instead of negative. It’s actually a compliment to say you’ve got gumption.
Gumption
“I Do Declare”
While you might think that this would simply mean that you’re saying something, if you hear someone in the south begin a sentence with “I do declare,” they’re trying to emphasize something. For example, if someone says “I do declare, it is hot today!” it means that it’s really quite hot that day.
I Do Declare
“Living In High Cotton”
Anyone familiar with history of the United States knows how much the South depended on cotton fields for its economy. Saying that someone is living in high cotton means that they’re financially secure, that is to say, wealthy.
Living In High Cotton
“Hush Your Mouth”
This might not need much of an explanation, but it’s pretty uncommon to hear someone outside of the south tell someone to hush their mouth. It is a way to say to be quiet, as is saying to “put a sock in it” or “close your lips.”
Hush Your Mouth
“Cat On A Hot Tin Roof”
This expression doesn’t literally refer to a cat on a hot tin roof, but if you think about what that might look like, then you can understand why this phrase means that someone is acting anxious or jumpy.
Cat On A Hot Tin Roof
“Stompin’ Grounds”
Here’s another expression that you might have already heard but might not have known has roots in the south. Referring to someplace as your “stompin’ grounds” means that it’s where you feel is home or can refer to your neighborhood.
Stompin’ Grounds
“Can’t Make A Silk Purse Out Of A Sow’s Ear”
Here we have yet another example of a phrase that refers to an animal. A sow is a pig, and if you hear someone say that you “can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear,” know that it is not a compliment. It means that someone has cheap or tacky taste.
Can’t Make A Silk Purse Out Of A Sow’s Ear
“You Can’t Carry A Tune In A Bucket”
This is another phrase that you definitely don’t want to hear. Speaking of not wanting to hear, the phrase “can’t carry a tune in a bucket” refers to someone who absolutely cannot sing.
“You Can’t Carry A Tune In A Bucket”
“There’s More Than One Way To Skin A Cat”
Alright, this is a phrase that we really don’t want anyone to take literally or think that anyone means to take literally. It actually is just an expression for saying that there’s more than one way to go about doing whatever it is you’re discussing.
“There’s More Than One Way To Skin A Cat”
“God Don’t Like Ugly”
This expression is an extension of “being ugly.” This is a classic southern phrase, and when someone tells you that “God don’t like ugly,” it means that the way you’re acting is not appreciated, as in acting ugly.
God Don’t Like Ugly
“Cuttin’ A Rug”
“Cutting a rug” doesn’t refer to making a rug fit somewhere better, but actually refers to dancing! If someone asks you what you want to do tonight, you might respond by saying you want to “cut a rug.” You can also compliment someone’s dancing by saying that they’re “cuttin’ a rug.”
“Cuttin’ A Rug”
“Whatever Floats Your Boat”
This is another phrase that has trickled out to be used outside of the south. If you’re asked for your opinion but you’re not feeling too opinionated, you can answer by telling someone “whatever floats your boat.” It’s a great phrase to let someone know that you’re not feeling very opinionated about something and they can make the decision.
“Whatever Floats Your Boat”
“Pot Calling The Kettle Black”
Here’s another popular southern expression that has spread to the rest of the country. If you’re accused of being the pot calling the kettle black, it means that you’re accusing someone of doing something that you’re guilty of doing yourself. Try to avoid this!
Pot Calling The Kettle Black
“It Doesn’t Amount To A Hill of Beans”
This expression means that something is of little significance. This phrase became very well known when Humphrey Bogart’s character in Casablanca said the line: “Ilsa, I’m no good at being noble, but it doesn’t take much to see that the problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.”
It Doesn’t Amount To A Hill Of Beans