Big Mouth Meaning
Definition: To gossip or spread secrets.
This is a descriptor of a person who talks too much or too loudly. A person who has a big mouth says things they are not supposed to tell others. It is almost as if they can’t stop themselves from saying things they should not say!
People who have big mouths cannot keep secrets. They gossip freely, and, as a result, they may not be a positive person to be around. You would not trust someone who has a big mouth to hold important information for you.
Origin of To Have a Big Mouth
There is no certain origin story for this phrase. It does give a vivid image of someone whose mouth is hanging open. An open mouth would not be able to keep secrets inside.
Compare this image to the idiom tight-lipped. Someone who is tight-lipped would have a small and closed mouth. A tight-lipped person is secretive and will not share information.
This may also be related to the phrase mouth off. If someone mouths off, he or she shouts information or speaks unpleasantly loudly about his or her opinions.
Examples of To Have a Big Mouth
People warn each other not to talk to people with big mouths.
Someone may say,
- Don’t tell Sheila about the surprise party. With her big mouth, she’ll give away the surprise!
It can also be a very negative marker of someone’s character. If someone has a big mouth, you may not want to take them places or talk to them because your news will be aired to everyone around them.
Someone may also use the phrase in reference to him or herself. After accidentally telling a secret, it is common to say, “Oh no! Me and my big mouth!” This is a way of apologizing for oversharing.
More Examples
- “My big mouth gets me into trouble,” Carparelli told U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman. –Chicago Sun-Times
- Tim says. “I should’ve kept my big mouth shut.” –ABC News
Summary
To have a big mouth is to talk too much or to gossip about those around you.
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