Bowed Up

In Southern and Appalachian speech, "bowed up" has two main meanings: 1) to get puffed up, angry, or ready to fight, and 2) to stop abruptly, jam, or lock up.

#SouthernWords #Appalachia #PeopleandRelationships #Southern

synonyms: puffed up, mad, riled up, jammed, stuck, locked up

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I'd say 'bowed up' is one you hear more out in the country.

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I'd say 'bowed up' is one you hear more out in the country.

Pronunciation

[BOH-d up]
/boʊd ʌp/

Meaning & Usage

- Ready to fight or angry (idiom)

Ruby:

I just teased him a little.

Earl:

Well, he bowed up like a banty rooster.

- Stopped, jammed, or locked up (idiom)

Hazel:

Why’s the hay baler sittin’ still?

Clyde:

It bowed up on me again.

variations: bow up, bowin’ up

★ The first sense comes from how animals bow their backs when riled, while the second extends the image to machinery, traffic, or anything seized up tight. ★

Origin and Etymology

Rooted in rural Southern and Appalachian life. The "angry/ready to fight" sense is found in mid-20th-century oral speech, especially in the Deep South. The "jammed/stopped" sense appears in farming and mechanical talk, carried forward in everyday use for cars, tractors, or even traffic.

Usage Notes

Both meanings are authentic to the South; context usually makes the sense clear.
Common with "all" as an intensifier - "all bowed up."
Still widely heard in rural speech today.

Kin Topics

Common Questions

What does "bowed up" mean?

It usually means someone is puffed up and ready to fight, but it can also mean something jammed or stopped working.

Is "bowed up" Southern?

Yes. Both senses are authentic to Southern and Appalachian speech, especially in rural contexts.

Where does it come from?

The image of an animal bowing its back when angry influenced the "ready to fight" meaning. The "jammed" sense comes from mechanical talk, where something bent or bowed stops working.

Do people still use it today?

Yes, particularly in rural Southern areas - for both people and machines.

How to Cite This Page

APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, November 8). Bowed Up. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/bowed-up
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "Bowed Up." HillbillySlang.com, 8 Nov. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/bowed-up.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "Bowed Up." HillbillySlang.com. November 8, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/bowed-up.