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Leave Some for Mister Manners

In Southern and Appalachian speech, "leave some for Mister Manners" is a playful table warning meaning "don’t take it all-mind your manners and leave some for others."

#SouthernSayings   #Appalachia   #FoodandDrink   #Southern   #Proverbs

synonyms: mind your manners, don’t be greedy, leave some for the rest

Pronunciation

[LEEV sum fer MIS-ter MAN-ers] /liv sʌm fɚ ˈmɪstər ˈmæn.ərz/

Meaning & Usage

- Reminder to share / show courtesy at the table (saying)

At supper
Clara:
Hand me one more biscuit?

Elmer:
Now, now-leave some for Mister Manners.

variations: always leave some for Mr. Manners

Origin and Etymology

Mid-20th-century Southern/Appalachian household saying, most often remembered from parents and grandparents at the supper table. Lightly attested in print (memoirs, blogs, oral histories), but well rooted in lived speech as a gentle teaching phrase about sharing and courtesy.

Usage Notes

  • Used with kids (and grown-ups) as a friendly reminder not to take the last of something.
  • Typically heard at family meals, church suppers, and potlucks.
  • Not widespread outside the South/Appalachia; elsewhere one hears "leave some for others" without the "Mister Manners" figure.

Kin Topics

Related Pages

Common Questions

What does "leave some for Mister Manners" mean?
It means don’t take everything-mind your manners and leave some for others.
Is it really Southern?
Yes-strongly remembered in Southern/Appalachian homes as table talk from parents and grandparents.
Is it documented?
Lightly in print, but widely remembered in oral tradition; it’s everyday family speech more than a formal proverb.

How to Cite This Page

  • APA (7th edition)
    The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, October 3). Leave Some for Mister Manners. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/leave-some-for-mister-manners
  • MLA (9th edition)
    "The Hillbilly Dude." "Leave Some for Mister Manners." HillbillySlang.com, 3 Oct. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/leave-some-for-mister-manners.
  • Chicago (17th edition)
    The Hillbilly Dude. "Leave Some for Mister Manners." HillbillySlang.com. October 3, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/leave-some-for-mister-manners.
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