120 Best Southern Sayings That’ll Charm Your Britches Off
Inside: These common Southern sayings, expressions, and slang have all the charm and wit the South is known for, and will have you grinning like a possum eating a sweet potato!
As a kid, I thought all those silly Southern sayings the older generation used were weird, cringe-y, and made us sound downright dumb here in the South. Now that I’m the older generation, the more I catch them coming out of my mouth. Because with age comes “I don’t give a hoot” wisdom.
These expressions are just like Southerners themselves. We’ve made mundane phrases more colorful. More charming. Made insults more polite. Or more blunt, depending on the situation.
If you were born and raised in the South, you’ll enjoy this trip down memory lane, and as an adult realize how bizarre and funny (and sometimes violent😲) some of these were.
If you’re not from ’round here, you’ll find these funny as all get out, and maybe scratch your head at a few. But now you’ll know what in tarnation a Southerner is saying when you get lost as last year’s Easter egg in a conversation with them.
Some of these Southern expressions are so well known they’ve spread above the Mason-Dixon line, while others are fading into the past. I’ve put together sayings I personally associate with the South, so you can set me straight in the comments if I’m wrongfully attributing where one caught on.
A disclaimer before we begin—some of these Southernisms are slightly PG, un-PC, and a bit crude. But as we say in the South, we just call ’em like we see ’em. And another heads-up—you’ll probably read these in your head in a Southern accent even if you don’t have one. And maybe even get a hankering for a glass of sweet tea.😉
Southern Sayings You Might Not Hear Outside the Southern States.
- Gimme some sugar. — Give me a kiss.
- He’s too big for his britches. — Acting more important than you are.
- I’m gonna tan your hide. — A spanking.
- She’s like whiskey in a tea cup. — A woman who appears delicate and elegant on the outside but is strong and perhaps a touch wild on the inside.
- She’s madder than a wet hen. — Very angry, like a hen that gets doused in cold water to make her lay eggs.
- That dog won’t hunt. — That excuse, idea, or claim won’t work.
- If I had my druthers. — If I got to do things the way I want.
- He’s as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. — Nervous like a cat trying to keep his tail safe.
- I’m worn slap out. — Extremely tired.
- He’s happy as a dead pig in sunshine. — Someone who’s happy but doesn’t know they shouldn’t be. Originated from when a dead pig lays in the sunlight, its skin pulls back around the mouth making a big grin.
- Happy as a pig in slop. (or mud). — Very happy.
- Well butter my buns and call me a biscuit! — Wow, that’s unbelievable!
- Go whole hog. — Go all in.
- I’m sweatin’ like a whore in church. — Sweating profusely.
- ‘Til the cows come home. — For a very long, seemingly indefinite time.
- He thinks the sun comes up just to hear him crow. — Conceited. Comes from the idea that a rooster might think his crowing every morning actually makes the sun rise.
- Bleedin’ like a stuck pig. — To bleed freely. Originated as a slaughterhouse term.
- I knew you when you were just knee-high to a grasshopper! — Little and young.
- I gotta pee like a Russian racehorse! — To have to urinate badly. Originated from Russian horses being given drugs to make them pee before a race.
- My back teeth are floating. — Another way to say I have to pee badly.
- Jiminy Christmas! — A more polite way to curse than taking the Lord’s name in vain.
- Let’s blow this popsicle stand! — Let’s leave.
- Gag a maggot. — Gross or disgusting.
- Drunker than Cooter Brown. — Extremely wasted. The story is that Cooter Brown stayed drunk during the entire Civil War so no one would ask him to enlist.
- That went over like a fart in church. — Not well received.
- Full as a tick. — Too full or extremely full after eating.
- What in the Sam Hill? (Or what in tarnation?) — A nicer way to say what the hell.
- Don’t poke the bear. — Don’t provoke someone who’s easily angered.
- I’ll tell you how the cow ate the cabbage. — I’m about to tell you like it is.
- If you can’t run with the big dogs, stay on the porch. — If you can’t keep up, don’t even try.
- As old as Methuselah. — Very old.
- You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. — You can’t make something good or attractive if it’s bad.
- As the crow flys. — Take the most direct route somewhere.
- About as helpful as a bump on a log. — Not useful, or lazy and not doing anything.
- They don’t have a lick of sense. — Not one bit of common sense.
- A month of Sundays. — A very long time.
- That really stuck in my craw. — Something that irritates you.
- Every old crow thinks hers is the blackest. — Every mama thinks her kids are the cutest, smartest, and best.
- I’ve got a hitch in my giddy-up (or get-along). — A physical ailment that keeps you from moving fast.
- Well I’ll be a monkey’s uncle! — Surprised or amazed.
Common Southern Phrases That Have Caught On Everywhere.
- Bless your heart. — You’ll have to watch for context on this quintessential Southern phrase. It can be well-meaning, like “you poor thing“. Or it’s a passive-aggressive way to say you’re an idiot,
- You’re barking up the wrong tree — Mistakenly pursuing something that’s wrong. This one originated as old hunting term.
- Like a bat out of Hell. — Extremely fast.
- Hold your horses. — Wait or slow down.
- That’s the pot calling the kettle black. — When someone accuses someone else of doing or being some way that also describes them.
- Goin’ to Hell in a handbasket. — Headed for disaster or ruin.
- Bright eyed and bushy tailed. — Alert and eager.
- Ain’t worth a hill of beans. — Of little value.
- Fly off the handle. — Become extremely angry quickly. Originated from the head flying off a hammer.
- This ain’t my first rodeo. — You have past experience with the current topic.
- Fit to be tied. — So mad you should be restrained.
- Three sheets to the wind. — Very drunk. Originated from how a ship would pitch and roll with all the sails up.
- Preachin’ to the choir. — Making an argument for something to people who already agree with you.
- If it was a snake it would’ve bit me! — When what you’re looking for is right in front of you.
- Get it while the gettin’s good. — Do something while things are going well.
Life Lessons from Southern Mamas.
- You catch more flies with honey than vinegar. — You get your way more often by being sweet and nice than being sour, mean, and disagreeable.
- Don’t count your chickens before they hatch. — Don’t count on something that hasn’t happened yet.
- There’s more than one way to skin a cat. — There’s more than one way to do things.
- Quit bein’ ugly! — Stop being bad, mean, rude, vulgar, or hateful.
- Hush your mouth! — Stop talking and be quiet.
Straight-Shooting Advice from Southern Daddies.
- Don’t let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya. — Asking someone to leave in a mean way or being glad someone has left.
- Wish in one hand and s**t in the other and see which one fills up faster. — A reply to a statement that starts with “I wish…” that means you’re probably not going to get what you want.
- Fish or cut bait. — Stop talking about it and take action.
- You’re up a s**t creek without a paddle. — You’re in a bad situation with seemingly no way out.
Southern Insults.
- Dumber than a bag of hammers. — Remarkably stupid.
- He wouldn’t know how to pour piss out of a boot if the instructions were printed on the heel. — Dumb and dimwitted. I think this one is attributed to Texan Lyndon B. Johnson.
- He couldn’t find his way out of a wet paper bag. — Stupid and incompetent.
- You couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket. — You’re a terrible, tone-def singer.
- You look like hammered s**t. — You look really bad. A step beyond just looking like regular s**t.
- He’s about as useless as tits on a bull. — He’s worthless.
- He don’t know s**t from shinola. Or doesn’t know his *ss from a hole in the ground. — Completely ignorant. (Shinola was a brown shoe polish during WWII.)
- He’s about as useless as a screen door on a submarine. — Completely worthless.
- The porch light’s on, but no one’s home. — Someone who looks normal but is slow, stupid, or not paying attention.
- Ain’t got the good sense God gave a rock. — Absolutely no common sense.
- He could eat corn through a picket fence. — To have buck teeth.
- You’re so fulla s**t your eyes are brown. — You’re a liar.
Southern Geography.
East Jesus, the Boonies, or Bum F**k Egypt (aka BFE). — Extremely far away or in the middle of nowhere.
Yonder. — At a distance in the direction indicated, i.e. over yonder or down yonder.
Southern Slang for Being Busy.
- I’m busier than a one-armed paper hanger.
- I’m busier than a one-legged man in an *ss kickin’ contest.
- I’m running around like a chicken with its head cut off.
- I’ve been running all over Hell’s half acre.
- I’m as busy as a cat on a hot tin roof.
Southern Slang for Too Much or Not Enough.
- You can’t swing a dead cat without hittin’ a “fill in the blank” — There’s a lot of whatever or whoever it is in a small area.
- More “fill in the blank” than you can shake a stick at. — There’s a lot of whatever it is.
- More “fill in the blank” than Carter’s got little liver pills. — An almost obsolete phrase meaning to have a lot of something. Carter’s Liver Pills were heavily marketed as a cure-all back in the late 19th and early 20th century.
- I ain’t got diddly squat. — To have nothing.
- Enough to choke a horse. — An excessive amount.
- I ain’t got a pot to pee in. — Don’t have any money.
- He squeezes a quarter so tight the eagle screams. — A tightwad.
- You can’t get blood from a turnip. — You can’t get something from somebody who doesn’t have it to give.
- I’m so poor, I can’t afford to pay attention. — You don’t have enough money.
Southern Weather.
- It’s hotter than blue blazes. — An extremely hot day. (The blue part of a flame is the hottest).
- It’s raining harder than a cow peeing on a flat rock. — Raining so hard the water is bouncing back up.
- It’s raining cats and dogs. — Heavy rain. One theory as to the origin is horrific. After a heavy rain, animals used to wash into the streets out of the drainage system in 17th century Europe.😢
- It’s hotter than two squirrels screwing in a wool sock. — It’s miserably hot. (Common variations are rats and rabbits).
- The devil’s beating his wife. — When it rains when the sun is shining.
- It’s a gully washer. — A short heavy downpour.
- It’s colder than a witch’s tit in a brass bra. — Extremely cold. The origin of this one isn’t what I thought. On a warship, sailors called a pile of cannonballs shaped into a pyramid a “witch‘s tit” and the brass plate that held the stack a “brass bra”.
Southern Terms for Physical Appearance.
- He’s as ugly as homemade sin. — Much uglier than just ugly.
- She’s been rode hard and put up wet. — Rough or worn-out looking. Originated with horses that haven’t been well taken care of.
- It’s like putting lipstick on a pig. — Superficial or cosmetic changes won’t make something more attractive, better, or different than what it is.
- Pretty is as pretty does. — Just because someone’s pretty on the outside doesn’t mean they’re pretty on the inside.
- She’s finer than frog hair split four ways. — A high compliment for how attractive someone is. Frogs don’t have hair so it would be so fine you can’t see it.
- They fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down. — Highly unattractive.
Southern Slang Words and Phrases.
Here are a few Southern to English glossary words and phrases you’ll find useful to translate when a Southerner lays on the “charm” heavy.
- Y’all. Can we just start with the most useful word the American South gave to the world? The word y’all is easier to say and more correct than “you guys” or “all of you”. And for an even more inclusive group of people, use the variation all y’all.
- Dadgummit, Dagnabit. — Polite curse words.
- In high cotton (or high on the hog). — Successful or doing well.
- Tore Up. — Upset or emotionally hurt.
- Might Could. — Possibly or maybe.
- Hissy fit. — Childish temper tantrum.
- Conniption. — A level above a hissy fit, usually involving lots of hand gesturing.
- Plumb. — An adjective that means totally or absolutely.
- Britches. — Pants.
- Scat. — Go away!
- Hankering. — A craving.
- Cattywampus. — Askew, not lined up.
- Stove up. — Sore or stiff.
- Fixin’ to. — Getting ready to.
- Uppity. — Snobby, snooty, putting on airs.
- Piddlin’. — Measly, not very much.
- Hunker. — Crouch down, or also to stay in one place for a long time (hunker down).
- Whoop. — To hit, spank, or beat up.
- Gussied up. — Dressed up or fixed up.
- Highfalutin’. — Fancy in a forced way; pretentious.
- Skedaddle. — Let’s get out of here.
- Doohickey. — A useful word when you can’t remember what an object is called.
- I reckon. — I suppose.
- Ruckus. — A commotion.
- Tump. — Tip or turn over accidentally.
- Pump. — Give someone a ride on your bike.
- As all get out. — To the highest degree.
- Switch. — A very thin small branch from a tree or bush used for spanking. Just being threatened with having to pick your own was usually enough. (I’m glad this one is becoming part of the past.)
There are even so many more unique expressions that it was hard to stop! Did I miss any of your favorite Southern sayings? Share them with us in the comments!
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Made me smile, Kate. My late Grandmother (born in Halifax County, NC in the early 1900s) introduced me to some additional Southernisms:
. Tight as Dick’s hatband (Really tight, usu. referring to clothing but also for things like overly small seats, cars, elevators, etc.)
. Dragged under the porch backwards (Describing someone who looks really rough.)
. Snatch you baldheaded (What’ll happen if you don’t immediately stop whatever you’re doing or saying, always preceded with “I’m gonna”)
. Stout as mustard gas (someone very strong, sturdy , brave and determined — I understood the meaning long before I learned was mustard gas was). Former Texas Gov. Ann Richards used to use this expression, too.
Those are great! I’ve definitely heard “snatch you baldheaded”. I’d forgotten about that one.😂
Thank you for sharing the Southern Sayings. Many I still use, a few I had forgotten & some I’ve never heard of. Also, there are those that bring back memories!
Hope you are doing well in your new home!
I felt the same way going through these. And thanks for thinking about me in my new place. It’s definitely keeping me busy!
Kate, I loved this post. I knew every single saying. Being from Kentucky we use these slangs daily. I hope people don’t think that we are not educated individuals just because we have our own language, I am a nurse and many folks around here are from the mountains and you have to be able to speak their language or they don’t understand what you’re talking about. I went to prep school in Massachusetts in high school many many years ago and I can remember my English professor having me read the book Hick Finn out loud to the class because of my accent, I was the first student from Kentucky in that school in 150 years. People had a hard time understanding my accent, after a while they would come up to me and say “say this word or say that word “it’s so funny to think about it, but they actually did. They would even ask me if we wore shoes and had running water. Even then, I remember thinking, these people are crazy. lol. My mama used to say “you kids get out there and pick a switch and make sure you get a green one or I’ll send you back out there. “ I laugh every time I think about it. Thank you Kate. I love all your wonderful ideas and funny blogs as well.
Thank you Sarah and I’m glad you enjoyed them as much as me! Only someone who’s been threatened with the switch can laugh about that one.