A.Word.A.Day --gobmouthed

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Dec 24, 2025

This week’s theme
No el

This week’s words
frowze
pipsqueak
gobmouthed

The Discovery (detail), 1956
Why is the kid gobmouthed? See the whole painting and see if you can figure it out. If not, read here.

Art: Norman Rockwell

A.Word.A.Day

with Anu Garg

PRONUNCIATION:

(GOB-moutht)

MEANING:

adjective: Open-mouthed.

ETYMOLOGY:

Of uncertain origin, probably from Irish and/or Scottish Gaelic gob (beak, mouth). Earliest documented use: 1894.

USAGE:

“Hold your dirty tongue, you gobmouthed omathaun!”
Hall Caine; The Manxman; Heinemann; 1895.
(omathaun = a foolish person)

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

Habit with him was all the test of truth, / It must be right: I've done it from my youth. -George Crabbe, poet and naturalist (24 Dec 1754-1832)

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