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Expressions That Make Perfect Sense in the South

Expressions That Make Perfect Sense in the South

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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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rattler coil (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Erik Wilde

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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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

Every region has its own unique "thing," those food items or specific dialects that are uniquely part of that area. Unless you live in that particular city or town, you may not even realize you partake in these rituals. New Yorkers have the BEC (the bacon, egg, and cheese), the bagel, and pastrami on rye; New England is known for its lobster and clam chowder; and some things are quintessentially Southern like fried green tomatoes and Moon Pies.

But it's not just the food that's different below the Mason-Dixon Line, where many things have their own unique charm. From the culture, cuisine, manners, and dialect, some southern practices and traditions contribute to the richness of this diverse country. (Speaking of Southern food, check out these 20 great Southern seafood dishes everyone should try.) But some particular phrases and expressions only resonate with Southerners.

Various expressions on this list may evoke the rural or agricultural lifestyle of the region, sometimes using animals metaphorically, while others reference food or even religion. Most of the examples on the list are descriptive and colorful. To compile a collection of expressions that make perfect sense in the South, 24/7 Tempo reviewed various sources that record phrases heard commonly in the South, but most likely nowhere else.

Here are expressions that make perfect sense in the South:

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