I. ˈmau̇th noun
( plural mouths ˈmau̇thz also -au̇z sometimes -au̇ths; -au̇ths especially in compounds whose meaning is “something having a certain kind of mouth,” as “blabbermouth” )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English mūth; akin to Old High German mund mouth, Old Norse munnr, muthr, Gothic munths mouth, Latin mandere to chew, Greek masasthai to chew, mastax mouth, jaws
1.
a. : the opening through which food passes into the body of an animal ; specifically : the orifice in the head of higher vertebrates bounded by the lips or jaws
b. : the cavity bounded externally by the lips or jaws and internally by the pharynx or gullet that encloses in the typical vertebrate the tongue, gums, and teeth : the buccal cavity
c. : the structures enclosing or lying within the mouth cavity regarded as a whole
the dog seized the bone in his mouth
my mouth is sore
2.
a. : the lips as a feature of the face
kissed her on the mouth
b. : grimace 1
make a mouth
c. : response to guiding pressure on the bit — used of a horse
a well-trained horse has a good mouth
d. : an individual requiring food
carnivora … keep down the number of useless mouths by killing off practically all the weak and aged — James Stevenson-Hamilton
e.
(1) : the salivary glands
pastry that makes one's mouth water
(2) : the organs of taste : palate
had my mouth all set for oysters
f. obsolete : a threatening vicinity
we unawares run into danger's mouth — John Milton
3.
a. archaic : oral communication : tongue
learned … his faith from the mouth of the Roman priest — Mark Pattison
b. obsolete : a means of utterance
the midnight bell did with his … brazen mouth sound on — Shakespeare
c. : the baying of a dog
the musical mouth of a hound on the scent
4.
a. : one that speaks : voice
with all the mouths of Rome to second you — Joseph Addison
through the mouth of his chancellor … made an unusual demand — R.W.Southern
b. archaic : an oral interchange : conversation
the names … were in many mouths — T.B.Macaulay
c.
(1) : a pronouncement attributed to someone
artificial speeches placed in the mouths of historical figures — R.A.Hall b. 1911
(2) : expression in words : speech
names came up … and she might remember them in her father's mouth — Padraic Fallon
d.
(1) : mouthpiece 3a
he is the mouth … of the House in its relations with the Crown — T.E.May
(2) archaic : a gullible person : dupe
the whole gang will be … watching an opportunity to make a mouth of you — Charles Cotton
e. archaic
(1) : a frame of reference : view
in a Roman mouth , the graceful name of prophet and of poet was the same — William Cowper
(2) : a sphere of authority : province
does it lie in the mouth of members of that government to taunt the … party with having no policy — Randolph Churchill
f.
(1) : a tendency to excessive talk : volubility
he is not all mouth … he gets results — Time
— often modified by big
now you've spilled the beans, you and your big mouth
(2) : saucy or disrespectful language : impudence , back talk
just don't take any mouth from him — Jackson Burgess
5. : something that resembles a mouth: as
a.
(1) : the place where a tributary enters a larger stream or body of water
(2) : the entrance to a harbor
(3) : the place where a valley or gorge begins
(4) : the place where a side street enters a main thoroughfare
b. : the surface outlet of an underground shaft or passageway
mouth of a well
mouth of a mine
mouth of a volcano
mouths of all underdrains should be looked to — Adrian Bell
arriving at the mouth of the burrow he lay down — J.T.McNish
c. : the opening at the receiving end of a container
mouth of a pocket
mouth of a bottle
mouth of a fisherman's trawl
specifically : the curved portion of a hook between the bill and the shank
d.
(1) : the opening in a metallurgical furnace through which it is charged
(2) : taphole
(3) : any of several furnaces in a pottery kiln each connected by a flue to a central opening in the oven
(4) : the opening in a covered glass pot
e. : the space between the cutting or gripping edges of a tool (as a vise)
f. : the muzzle of a piece of ordnance
charged right up into the mouths of those cannon — F.B.Gipson
the mouth of the automatic pressed closer against the back in the light overcoat — Kay Boyle
g. : the space in front of the cutter of a carpenter's plane through which the shavings pass
h.
(1) : the open end of a wind instrument (as a horn)
(2) : an opening (as in a flute) across which the player blows
(3) : the opening between the lips of an organ flue pipe
i. : the summit of the tube of a corolla
j. : the opening of a univalve shell
k. architecture : scotia
•
- a poor mouth
- down in the mouth
- from mouth to mouth
- full mouth
- on the wrong side of one's mouth
II. ˈmau̇th verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English mouthen, from mouth, n.
transitive verb
1.
a. : to give utterance to : speak , pronounce
taught to mouth the word cow — Don Murray
glibly mouthed by so many people — Edna Ferber
only mouths words in talking about the need for faith — R.W.Flint
b. : to utter sententiously or bombastically
mouthing big phrases to hide little thought — Bruce Marshall
mouthing sonorous Virgil — Robert Keable
c. : to form soundlessly with the lips
mouthing the words, “this is what she thinks is tea” — Jean Stafford
2.
a. : to take into the mouth
he keeps them … in the corner of his jaw, first mouthed to be last swallowed — Shakespeare
especially : eat
mouthed down a square of cheese — Norman Mailer
b. : to work over with the mouth or teeth
mouthing the eggs and young for oxygenation purposes — L.P.Schultz
specifically : mangle
a crooked … little man who had been mouthed by a whale — R.M.Lovett
3.
a. : to accustom (a horse) to the bridle and bit
a horse must be carefully mouthed before he is taught to jump
b. : to examine the teeth of (a horse or sheep) especially as a means of estimating age
sheepmen always mouth … sheep they are about to buy, to see if the age is as represented — Lamb Production
4. : to swage the top of (a metal can) to receive the cover
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to express oneself in speech : talk , recite
go around annoying people by mouthing to yourself — W.R.Benét
juvenile mouthing of the multiplication tables
b. : to speak bombastically or angrily : declaim , rail
the bad old tradition of mouthing and ranting to bring … characters to life — Vernon Jarratt
c. : to divulge information : tell
wasn't going to have him mouth around the countryside that I had the stove for my own personal comfort — Michael McLaverty
2. obsolete : to caress with the lips : kiss
the duke … would mouth with a beggar, though she smelt brown bread and garlic — Shakespeare
3.
a. : to make faces : grimace
the children were giggling, bubbling, mouthing — Alexander Saxton
b. : to move the lips silently
the octopus roped down from his hand, suckers still faintly mouthing — Norman Lewis
4. : to issue into a larger body of water : debouch — used of a tributary
where does this creek mouth