Bemouth

/bɪˈmaʊð/ verb

Definition

To fill or cover with the mouth; to speak about extensively or boastfully.

Etymology

Combining the prefix 'be-' with 'mouth', this archaic verb likely emerged in Middle English when the 'be-' prefix was commonly used to create new verbs meaning to supply or furnish with something.

Kelly Says

This word is so obscure that it barely appears in historical texts, but it represents a fascinating lost pattern in English—we used to casually create verbs like 'bemouth', 'beeye', or 'behand' to mean 'supply with' or 'use excessively', a productivity we've mostly abandoned.

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