Redneck slang, the A words
77 redneck slang words that start with A. Open one for the pronunciation, the meaning, and a short origin.
a body
A person, or "one," often meaning yourself without saying I.
a body knows
What anyone can tell; common sense, or a gut feeling.
a man
A person, or "one," often a soft way of saying I.
a many a
Many a; a large number of something, said before a singular noun.
a mess of
A good helping; enough of something for a meal, or a fair pile of it.
a right smart
Quite a lot; a good deal of something.
a sight
A lot; considerably, often as "a sight of" or "a sight better."
a singing
Singing, or while singing; also a community hymn-sing gathering.
a spell
A while; an indefinite stretch of time.
a ways
Some distance; not right here, but not named in miles.
a-backwards
Backwards, with the old dialect a- stuck on the front.
a-backwards and forwards
Back and forth, with an Appalachian a- up front.
a-straddle
Sitting or standing with one leg on each side of something.
a-tall
At all, usually piled on a negative for extra punch.
a-tall't
Not at all — zero, none, not even a little.
a-toward
Toward; the mountain a- stuck on the front.
a-towards
Toward; same as a-toward, with the s kept on.
a-whoopin'
A spanking, whipping, or beating — the kind you get for trouble.
aback of
Behind something, the old mountain way of saying in back of.
about
Around a place, or roughly a number or time.
ackenpucky
Mystery gunk — mushy food or sticky stuff you can't quite name.
acrosst
Across — same meaning, with an extra t on the end.
adder
A snake, often one people treat as dangerous.
afeared
Afraid — scared, spooked, not eager to face something.
afterwhile
Later — after a while, when you get around to it.
aggravate
To annoy or irritate somebody, not make a problem worse.
agin
Against; opposing a person, rule, or hard surface.
ago
Before now — back in the past from this moment.
ahold
A hold or grasp; what you get when you grab something or reach somebody.
aholt
A hold — a grip, or contact with somebody.
ails
Troubles or bothers — what's wrong with somebody.
ain't
Am not, is not, are not, has not, or have not.
ain't got no
Doesn't have any. Two negatives, one meaning: none.
ain't got the sense God gave a goose
So short on common sense it hurts to watch.
ain't that the truth
Strong agreement: you just said it right.
ain't worth a hill of beans
Worth almost nothing; not worth fussing over.
ain't worth a plug nickel
Worth almost nothing, or nothing at all.
ainchee
Spoken "ain't you," often as a friendly check-in or tease.
air up
Put air into something, usually a tire.
airish
A little cool, breezy, or drafty.
airn
Dialect spelling for iron, said as one syllable.
akin
Related by blood, or a lot like something else.
all get-out
To the greatest possible degree; extremely.
all kind of
All sorts of; many different kinds.
all kinds of
A whole lot of something, or many different sorts.
all manner of
Every sort of; a whole mix of things.
all the
The only one, or the only amount you've got.
all the way
Completely, or the only right way to do it.
all to pieces
Completely, badly, or falling apart.
all to thunder
Completely; all the way through.
all-fired
Extremely; more than you needed.
allow
Suppose or believe, not give permission.
allow as how
To say, suppose, or admit that something is so.
amongst
Among; in the middle of a group.
an'em
And them; a person plus their people.
another'un
Another one.
any count
Any good; worth anything at all.
any old way
However it happens; not picky about the method.
any which way
In any manner or direction; often carelessly.
anythang
Anything, said the Southern way.
anyways
Anyway; used to wrap up or move on.
anywheres
Anywhere.
Arkansas toothpick
A long fighting knife, often tied to Bowie knives.
ary
Any; a single one.
ary'un
Any one; a single one.
as
That, in older rural talk: "I knowed as he would."
as all get-out
Extremely; as much as you can imagine.
askeered
Frightened; scared.
askered
Scared; frightened.
asking on
Asking about somebody or something.
atter
After.
away with
Finished with something, or gone for good.
awful
Very; extremely.
awfullest
Extremely; to a high degree.
ax
Ask.
axe
Ask; a long-lived pronunciation of the word.
aye
Yes; a plain old agreement.