Let’s Talk More Southern Sayings (Sayin’s)

In the Deep South, our expressions are as rich and flavorful as our history. With words that carry the weight of generations, our Southern sayings can be as mysterious as they are charming to those not from around here. Hearing folks from other places wrestle with names like Thibodaux or Belzoni always makes us laugh. Our distinct dialect isn’t just how we talk; it’s a thread that ties our shared stories together, full of charm and character. So, let’s dig into some Southern sayings that sprinkle a little extra flavor into our everyday conversations and keep our traditions alive.

More Meanings of Southern Sayings (So You Can Understand Us)

Watch the Video for More Southern Sayings

Southern Moods and Attitudes

• Madder than a wet hen: Extremely angry and impossible to calm down.
• Happy as a dead pig in the sunshine: Completely carefree and unbothered, like a dead pig lying in the sun, oblivious to everything.
• Having a conniption: Throwing a dramatic, overreactive fit, they’re having a conniption. It’s often over something small, but the reaction is anything but.
• Don’t get your drawers in a wad: A gentle reminder not to get too worked up over something minor. It’s our way of saying, “Calm down; it’s not worth the fuss.”
• Gussied up: Dressed up fancy, often to the point of being overdone, usually for an important occasion.
• Fit to be tied: Extremely angry or frustrated, to the point of being ready to explode.
• Heavens to Betsy: An exclamation of surprise or astonishment, often used when something unexpected happens.
• Pitch a hissy fit: A tantrum or extremely upset, with lots of yelling and body language, often over something small.
• Well, I declare!: An expression of surprise or disbelief often used when hearing unexpected news.

Down-Home Wisdom and Advice

• That dog won’t hunt: Used to express that an idea or plan isn’t going to work or that something is not worth pursuing.
• Might could: A Southern way of saying “might be able to.”
• If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy: This saying reflects the idea that the household’s mood depends on the mother’s happiness.
• Caught with your pants down: Refers to being caught doing something you shouldn’t be, often in an embarrassing or compromising situation.
• Well, slap my knee and call me silly: An expression of surprise or astonishment, typically in response to unexpected news.
• He could eat corn through a picket fence: A humorous way to describe someone with a pronounced overbite.
• She’s got more nerve than a bad tooth: Describes someone who is exceptionally bold and audacious, often to the point of making others uncomfortable or angry.
• She’s as pretty as a peach: A high compliment on someone’s appearance, implying they are beautiful.
• As fine as frog’s hair split four ways: Something exceptionally fine or delicate, often used to highlight something of high quality or precision.

Weather and the Natural World

• Colder than a well digger’s tail: Humorously emphasizes how frigid the weather is, painting a vivid picture of extreme cold that’s hard to ignore.
• Come rain or shine: This means something will happen, whether good or bad, no matter the circumstances.
• Fair to middlin’: A modest way to say things are just okay—neither great nor terrible. It’s often used in response to someone asking how you’re doing, suggesting that everything is just average.
• A frog-strangler: A heavy rainstorm so intense that even frogs would struggle to cope.
• Gully washer: Refers to an intense, heavy rainstorm that causes water to rush through ditches and gullies, often leading to temporary flooding.
• Snowing down south: A euphemism indicating that a woman’s slip is showing.

Grit and Grace in Southern Life

• Busy as a cat on a hot tin roof: Someone who is extremely busy, restless, or overwhelmed, constantly moving and unable to stay still.
• Burning daylight: Wasting valuable time when there’s work to be done, especially when daylight is limited and every moment counts for getting things done.
• Hand to mouth: Living with just enough to get by, often scraping together what’s needed daily, with little to no extra for savings or luxuries.
• Give it a whirl: Encourages someone to try something, even if they’re unsure how it will turn out.
• Knee-high to a grasshopper: Used to describe someone very young or small, often reminiscing about childhood.
• In high cotton: Doing very well, particularly financially. It refers to times when cotton crops were good, leading to prosperity.
• Puttin’ on airs: Acting superior or snobbish, often in a way that’s not genuine.

Food and Eating

• Butter my butt and call me a biscuit: An expression of surprise or disbelief, similar to saying, “Well, I’ll be!”
• Hog wild: Thrilled or enthusiastic, often acting with unchecked excitement or energy.
• Kiss my grits and call it gravy: A sassy way of dismissing someone’s opinion or response to something you’ve done or said, signaling that you don’t care what they think or say.

Quirky and Fun

• Like a chicken with its head cut off: Running around in a disorganized or panicked manner, much like a chicken after it’s been beheaded.
• Drunker than Cooter Brown: Refers to someone who is often intoxicated. According to Southern folklore, Cooter Brown stayed drunk throughout the Civil War to avoid being drafted by either side.
• Barking up the wrong tree: Making a mistake in pursuing the wrong idea, like a dog barking at the wrong tree, thinking a raccoon or other animal is up there when it’s not.
• My nose itches, somebody’s coming with a hole in their britches: This saying suggests that if your nose itches, it means someone with a bit of mischief or trouble might be coming your way. In my family, we said, “My nose itches, my nose itches, somebody’s coming with a hole in their britches. It might be you, it might be me, it might be sister Susie.” I was almost 40 years old before I knew my Papa had a cousin named Susie, and they called her Sister!
• All hat and no cattle: Describes someone who talks a big game but lacks the means or ability to back it up.
• That’ll put hair on your chest: A phrase used to describe something particularly strong or intense, often about food or drink that has a bold, powerful effect.
• She’s got a hitch in her giddy-up: Describes someone limping or not moving as smoothly as usual, suggesting a noticeable change in their gait or movement.

Wrap UP

These Southern sayings are more than just words; they’re pieces of our heritage woven into the fabric of our daily lives. They remind us of who we are and where we come from, bringing a touch of humor, wisdom, and warmth to every conversation. Whether these sayings bring back memories or teach you something new, they help keep our traditions alive. I hope they’ve added a bit of Southern flavor to your day.