English · Slang Attested

give it mouth

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Speak loudly; speak up.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

nói to, lên tiếng

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Examples

"Tell us your name!" said the man. "Quick!" / "Pip, sir." / "Once more," said the man, staring at me. "Give it mouth!"

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

a rude request to an actor or orator, which means, speak up. Low folk can fancy nothing higher in the way of encomium on an actor than, "He’s the cove to GIVE IT MOUTH—rather!"

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

yêu cầu một diễn viên hoặc nhà hùng biện nói to

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English

Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Topics: Mouth & tongue Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “give it mouth” mean?

Speak loudly; speak up.

Is “give it mouth” formal or informal?

give it mouth is generally archaic, slang.