mouth

1 /maUT/ noun plural mouths /maUDz/

1 FACE (C) the part of your face which you put food into, or which you use for speaking: Don't talk with your mouth full of food!

2 keep your mouth shut informal

a) to not tell other people about a secret: I don't want my parents finding out about this, so you'd better keep your mouth shut.

b) to not say anything because you might make a mistake, or annoy someone or upset them: She started to cry, and I wished I'd kept my mouth shut.

3 open your mouth to start to speak, especially in a situation where you feel you should not say anything: I didn't dare open my mouth in case I offended her.

4 OPENING (C)

a) the entrance to a large hole or cave

b) the open part at the top of a bottle or container

5 RIVER (C) the part of a river where it joins the sea

6 big mouth informal someone who is a big mouth or has a big mouth is annoying because they cannot keep secrets or they often say things they should not say

7 me and my big mouth/you and your big mouth etc spoken used when you are annoyed with yourself or with someone else for telling other people a secret or saying something that should not be said

8 he/she is all mouth spoken used when you think that someone is not really brave enough, strong enough etc to do what they say they can do

9 mouth to feed someone who you must provide food for, especially one of your children: To these parents, a new baby is just another hungry mouth to feed.

10 make your mouth water if food makes your mouth water, it looks so good you want to eat it immediately

—see also: mouth­watering

11 down in the mouth informal looking very unhappy: Why's Tim so down in the mouth?

12 open-mouthed/wide-mouthed etc with an open, wide etc mouth

13 out of the mouths of babes (and sucklings) humorous used when a small child has just said something clever or interesting

—see also: by word of mouth word 1 (29), foam at the mouth foam 2 (2), hand to mouth, put your foot in your mouth foot 1 (12), shut your mouth shut 1 (3), shoot your mouth off shoot 1 (7) 2 verb (T)

1 to move your lips as if you are saying words, but without making any sound: Brook was waving and mouthing over the noise at the others to stand aside.

2 to say things that you do not really believe or that you do not understand: a third-rate politician, capable only of mouthing the current party line | mouth platitudes (=give opinions that are not original): people at cocktail parties mouthing platitudes about the starving millions

mouth off phrasal verb (intransitive + at/about) informal to complain angrily and noisily about something, or talk as if you know more than anyone else