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Glam Journal

Where does the term slack jawed come from?

Author

James Austin

Updated on March 08, 2026

Where does the term slack jawed come from?

slack-jawed (adj.) 1882, “over-talkative,” from slack-jaw (n.) “impertinent language” (1797), from slack (adj.) + jaw (n.). Meaning “open-mouthed and speechless” from astonishment, stupidity, etc., is from 1905.

How do you use slack jawed in a sentence?

Jackson stared at her, slack jawed . He smiled at Sarah who was staring, slack jawed . Like Spirited Away, the story is so nutty that you watch with slack-jawed amazement.

Why are some people slack jawed?

There is a reason But old or young, the most likely cause is chronic mouth breathing, maybe caused by nasal obstruction or weak diaphragm or abdominal muscles. A slouched, head-forward posture can also produce that Neanderthal jaw-drop.

What does slack jaw look like?

Slack-jawed meaning (of a person) With the mouth in an open position and the jaw hanging loosely, especially as indicating bewilderment or astonishment. (idiomatic, of a person) Unsophisticated or unthinking; dimwitted in appearance. (idiomatic, dated, of a person) Overly talkative; indiscreet.

What’s another word for slack-jawed?

What is another word for slack-jawed?

big-moutheddazzled
dopeydumbfounded
open-mouthedstunned
stupefiedstupid

What is a slack-jawed gaze?

adjective. If you say that someone is slack-jawed, you mean that their mouth is hanging open, often because they are surprised. He just gazed at me slack-jawed.

What’s another word for slack jawed?

Is slack jawed one word or two?

having the mouth open, especially as an indication of astonishment, bewilderment, etc.

Does mouth breathing lower IQ?

Your mum is right; you shouldn’t worry. The way you breathe has no effect on your IQ.

What does it mean to call someone a mouth breather?

mouthbreather
The original definition of the word mouthbreather, is simply someone who habitually breathes though their mouth, rather than through their nose. Mouthbreathers are people that are forced to breathe through their mouth due to medical problems associated with the sinuses or nose.

What yokel means?

Definition of yokel : a naive or gullible inhabitant of a rural area or small town.

Was slack-jawed?

If you say that someone is slack-jawed, you mean that their mouth is hanging open, often because they are surprised.

Where does the term ‘slacks’ come from?

Histories of the Haggar clothing company assert that in the 1940s, the Haggars, working with the adman Morris Hite, came up with the term slacks, so called because they were to be worn during leisurely “slack time.” Too bad the O.E.D. dates slacks, meaning “loosely cut trousers for informal wear,” all the way to 1824.

What does slack-jaw mean?

slack-jawed(Adjective) With the mouth in an open position and the jaw hanging loosely, especially as indicating bewilderment or astonishment. slack-jawed(Adjective) Unsophisticated or unthinking; dimwitted in appearance.

What does slack jaw mean?

Another term – slack jaw – indicates a difficulty in closing the mouth due to any number of causes but is also sometimes referred to as a locked jaw meaning that the mouth is stuck in the open position. Locked jaw is therefore discussed here as a commonly used term for problems with lower jaw movement.