Bless Out
To bless someone out means to scold or reprimand them sharply - a Southern way of delivering a verbal whipping with or without cursing.
#SouthernSayings #Appalachia #PeopleandRelationships #DialectandGrammar #Southern #ScoldingandTeasing #Euphemisms
Hillbilly Dude Says...
Getting 'cussed out' is often called 'blessed out' often, especially out in the country. Hillbilly Dude Says...
Getting 'cussed out' is often called 'blessed out' often, especially out in the country. Pronunciation
[BLESS out]
/blɛs aʊt/
/blɛs aʊt/
Meaning & Usage
- To Scold or Rebuke Sharply (verb phrase)
Mamaw:
Don’t you sass me - I’ll bless you out in front of ever’body.
Don’t you sass me - I’ll bless you out in front of ever’body.
Papaw:
She’s right, boy - you best hush.
She’s right, boy - you best hush.★ A gentler stand-in for "cuss out." Common among older Southerners, especially in polite or churchgoing families. ★
Origin and Etymology
Likely a softened form of "cuss out," influenced by the Southern habit of using "bless" in place of harsher words. The phrase reflects the region’s mix of humor, manners, and moral restraint.
Usage Notes
Used throughout the South and lower Appalachia. Sounds mild, but the meaning is strong - if somebody "blessed you out," you were getting a serious talking-to.
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How to Cite This Page
- APA (7th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, October 10). Bless Out. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/bless-out
- MLA (9th edition)"The Hillbilly Dude." "Bless Out." HillbillySlang.com, 10 Oct. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/bless-out.
- Chicago (17th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. "Bless Out." HillbillySlang.com. October 10, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/bless-out.
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