Get Your Tail in Gear

In Appalachian and Southern speech, "get your tail in gear" means hurry up, get moving, or start doing what you’re supposed to. It’s a playful but firm way of telling someone to act.

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Hillbilly Dude Says...

I still hear 'get your tail in gear' - and heard it plenty growin' up!

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I still hear 'get your tail in gear' - and heard it plenty growin' up!

Pronunciation

[GET chur TAYL in GEAR]

Meaning & Usage

- To hurry up; get going (imperative phrase)

Mae:

We’re leavin’ in five minutes.

Earl:

Then you’d better get your tail in gear.

- To start working or acting (figurative)

Mae:

Team looked lazy today.

Earl:

Coach said to get our tails in gear.

variations: move your tail

★ Using "tail" keeps it family-friendly - strong enough to motivate, but not rude. Parents, teachers, and coaches all used it to spur kids into action. ★

Origin and Etymology

Blends the old rural use of "tail" for backside with the 20th-century phrase "in gear" (from cars and machinery). Together it became a colorful Southern/Appalachian way to say "get moving."

Usage Notes

Still common in the South and Appalachia. Recognized elsewhere in the U.S., but carries a country, folksy tone. Related to sayings like haulin’ tail and tail.

Say It Like a Southerner

Said plain: "git-cher tail ’n gear."

Kin Topics

Common Questions

Does it mean literally moving your tail?

No - it’s figurative, telling someone to hurry up or get moving.

Is it rude?

Not usually - "tail" makes it a mild, family-friendly substitute for harsher words.

Do people still say it today?

Yes - especially in Southern families, sports, and playful scoldings.

How to Cite This Page

APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, September 18). Get Your Tail in Gear. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/get-your-tail-in-gear
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "Get Your Tail in Gear." HillbillySlang.com, 18 Sept. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/get-your-tail-in-gear.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "Get Your Tail in Gear." HillbillySlang.com. September 18, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/get-your-tail-in-gear.

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