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25 Southern Sayings That Confuse Outsiders

25 Southern Sayings That Confuse Outsiders

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25 Southern Sayings That Confuse Outsiders

Andrew Clemente

Spread out like a hot lunch

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Who licked the red off your candy?

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Would rather climb a tree and tell a lie than stand on the ground and tell the truth

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Somebody’s cornbread ain’t done in the middle.

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Could wear the horns off a billy goat

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Doesn’t amount to a hill of beans

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Rode hard and put away wet

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Pitching a hissy fit with a tail on it

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He’s/she’s a ring-tailed tooter

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Lower’n a snake in a wagon rut

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Thinks the sun comes up just to hear him/her crow

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That dog don’t hunt

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Finer than a frog’s hair split in half

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Could argue with a fence post

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Sharp as a bowling ball

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The good Lord willing and the creek don’t rise

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Stuck up higher than a light pole

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All hat and no cattle

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That just flew all over me

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Even a blind squirrel gets a nut every now and again

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I could eat the north end of a south-bound goat

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Wouldn’t pay a nickel to see Jesus on a bicycle

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Nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs

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Hotter than a two-dollar pistol

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Katy, bar the door

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25 Southern Sayings That Confuse Outsiders
Spread out like a hot lunch
Who licked the red off your candy?
Would rather climb a tree and tell a lie than stand on the ground and tell the truth
Somebody’s cornbread ain’t done in the middle.
Could wear the horns off a billy goat
Doesn’t amount to a hill of beans
Rode hard and put away wet
Pitching a hissy fit with a tail on it
He’s/she’s a ring-tailed tooter
Lower’n a snake in a wagon rut
Thinks the sun comes up just to hear him/her crow
That dog don’t hunt
Finer than a frog’s hair split in half
Could argue with a fence post
Sharp as a bowling ball
The good Lord willing and the creek don’t rise
Stuck up higher than a light pole
All hat and no cattle
That just flew all over me
Even a blind squirrel gets a nut every now and again
I could eat the north end of a south-bound goat
Wouldn’t pay a nickel to see Jesus on a bicycle
Nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs
Hotter than a two-dollar pistol
Katy, bar the door

25 Southern Sayings That Confuse Outsiders

People in the South have a way with words. A simple warning, compliment, insult, or bit of advice can turn into a colorful phrase that makes perfect sense to anyone who grew up hearing it, while leaving everyone else wondering what was just said. Some Southern expressions have been passed down for generations, and many manage to say more in a few words than a whole paragraph ever could.

From phrases about weather and stubbornness to expressions used for gossip, frustration, surprise, and affection, Southern speech is packed with personality. Some sayings are heard across the region, while others are more common in particular states or communities. Here are 25 classic Southern sayings that can sound downright confusing if you did not grow up with them, along with what they actually mean.

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