Mouth

Pronunciation

• noun enPR: mouth, IPA: /maʊθ/
• Rhymes: -aʊθ
• verb enPR: mouth, IPA: /maʊð/
• Rhymes: -aʊð

Origin

From Middle English mouth, from Old English mūþ ("mouth, opening, door, gate"), from Proto-Germanic *munþaz ("mouth"), from Proto-Indo-European *ment- ("to chew; jaw, mouth"). Cognate with Scots mouth ("mouth"), North Frisian müd, müth, müss ("mouth"), West Frisian mûn ("mouth"), Dutch mond ("mouth"), muide ("river mouth") and mui ("riptide"), German Mund ("mouth"), Swedish mun ("mouth"), Faroese muður, munnur ("mouth"), Icelandic munnur ("mouth"), Gothic 𐌼𐌿𐌽𐌸𐍃 ("mouth"), Latin mentum ("chin") and mandō ("to chew"), Ancient Greek μάσταξ ("jaws, mouth") and μασάομαι ("to chew"), Albanian mjekër ("chin, beard"), Welsh mant ("jawbone"), Hittite (mēni, "chin").

Full definition of mouth

Noun

1. (anatomy) The opening of a creature through which food is ingested.
   "Open your mouth and say 'aah'," directed the doctor.
• 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, Mr. Pratt's Patients Chapter 7, I made a speaking trumpet of my hands and commenced to whoop “Ahoy!” and “Hello!” at the top of my lungs. ... The Colonel woke up, and, after asking what in brimstone was the matter, opened his mouth and roared “Hi!” and “Hello!” like the bull of Bashan.
2. The end of a river out of which water flows into a sea or other large body of water.
   The mouth of the river is a good place to go birdwatching in spring and autumn.
3. An outlet, aperture or orifice.
   The mouth of a cave
• 1963, Margery Allingham, The China Governess Chapter 1, ‘It was called the wickedest street in London and the entrance was just here. I imagine the mouth of the road lay between this lamp standard and the second from the next down there.’
4. (slang) A loud or overly talkative person.
   My kid sister is a real mouth; she never shuts up.
5. (saddlery) The crosspiece of a bridle bit, which enters the mouth of an animal.
6. (obsolete) A principal speaker; one who utters the common opinion; a mouthpiece.
• AddisonEvery coffeehouse has some particular statesman belonging to it, who is the mouth of the street where he lives.
7. (obsolete) Cry; voice.
8. (obsolete) Speech; language; testimony.
• Bible, Matt. xviii. 16that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established
9. (obsolete) A wry face; a grimace; a mow.
• ShakespeareCounterfeit sad looks,
  Make mouths upon me when I turn my back.

Synonyms

Verb

1. (transitive) To speak; to utter.He mouthed his opinions on the subject at the meeting.
• Haremouthing big phrases
2. (transitive) To make the actions of speech, without producing sound.The prompter mouthed the words to the actor, who had forgotten them.
3. (transitive) To pick up or handle with the lips or mouth, but not chew or swallow.The fish mouthed the lure, but didn't bite.
4. (obsolete) To take into the mouth; to seize or grind with the mouth or teeth; to chew; to devour.
5. (obsolete) To form or cleanse with the mouth; to lick, as a bear licks her cub.
6. (obsolete) To make mouths at.

Derived terms