mouth

—mouther, n. —mouthless, adj.

n. /mowth/; v. /mowdh/, n., pl. mouths /mowdhz/, v.

n.

1. Anat., Zool.

a. the opening through which an animal or human takes in food.

b. the cavity containing the structures used in mastication.

c. the structures enclosing or being within this cavity, considered as a whole.

2. the masticating and tasting apparatus.

3. a person or animal dependent on someone for sustenance: another mouth to feed.

4. the oral opening or cavity considered as the source of vocal utterance.

5. utterance or expression: to give mouth to one's thoughts.

6. talk, esp. loud, empty, or boastful talk: That man is all mouth.

7. disrespectful talk or language; back talk; impudence.

8. a grimace made with the lips.

9. an opening leading out of or into any cavity or hollow place or thing: the mouth of a cave; a bottle's mouth.

10. the outfall at the lower end of a river or stream, where flowing water is discharged, as into a lake, sea, or ocean: the mouth of the Nile.

11. the opening between the jaws of a vise or the like.

12. the lateral hole of an organ pipe.

13. the lateral blowhole of a flute.

14. down in or at the mouth, Informal. dejected; depressed; disheartened: Ever since he lost his job, he has been looking very down in the mouth.

15. run off at the mouth, Informal. to talk incessantly or indiscreetly.

16. talk out of both sides of one's mouth, to make contradictory or untruthful statements.

v.t.

17. to utter in a sonorous or pompous manner, or with excessive mouth movements: to mouth a speech.

18. to form (a word, sound, etc.) with the lips without actually making an utterance: She silently mouthed her answer so as not to wake her napping child.

19. to utter or pronounce softly and indistinctly; mumble: Stop mouthing your words and speak up.

20. to put or take into the mouth, as food.

21. to press, rub, or chew at with the mouth or lips: The dog mouthed the toys.

22. to accustom (a horse) to the use of the bit and bridle.

v.i.

23. to speak sonorously and oratorically, or with excessive mouth movement.

24. to grimace with the lips.

25. mouth off, Slang.

a. to talk back; sass: He mouthed off to his mother.

b. to express one's opinions, objections, or the like in a forceful or uninhibited manner, esp. in public.

[bef. 900; ME; OE muth; c. G Mund, ON munnr]

Syn. 5. voice, speech.

* * *

I

or oral cavity or buccal cavity

Orifice through which food and air enter the body.

It opens to the outside at the lips and empties into the throat at the rear and is bounded by the lips, cheeks, hard and soft palates, and glottis. Its chief structures are the teeth (see tooth), tongue, and palate. It is the site of chewing and speech formation. The mouth is lined by mucous membranes containing small glands that, along with the salivary glands, keep it moist and clear of food and other debris.

II

(as used in expressions)

mouth organ

foot and mouth disease

hoof and mouth disease

* * *

▪ anatomy

also called  Oral Cavity, or Buccal Cavity,  

 in human anatomy, orifice through which food and air enter the body. The mouth opens to the outside at the lips and empties into the throat at the rear; its boundaries are defined by the lips, cheeks, hard and soft palates, and glottis. It is divided into two sections: the vestibule, the area between the cheeks and the teeth, and the oral cavity proper. The latter section is mostly filled by the tongue, a large muscle firmly anchored to the floor of the mouth by the frenulum linguae. In addition to its primary role in the intake and initial digestion of food, the mouth and its structures are essential in humans to the formation of speech.

      The chief structures of the mouth are the teeth (tooth), which tear and grind ingested food into small pieces that are suitable for digestion; the tongue, which positions and mixes food and also carries sensory receptors for taste; and the palate, which separates the mouth from the nasal cavity, allowing separate passages for air and for food. All these structures, along with the lips, are involved in the formation of speech sounds by modifying the passage of air through the mouth.

      The oral cavity and vestibule are entirely lined by mucous membranes (mucous membrane) containing numerous small glands that, along with the three pairs of salivary glands, bathe the mouth in fluid, keeping it moist and clear of food and other debris. Specialized membranes form both the gums (gum) (gingivae), which surround and support the teeth, and the surface of the tongue, on which the membrane is rougher in texture, containing many small papillae that hold the taste buds. The mouth's moist environment and the enzymes within its secretions help to soften food, facilitating swallowing and beginning the process of digestion. See also digestion.

* * *