Redneck slang, the P words
46 redneck slang words that start with P. Open one for the pronunciation, the meaning, and a short origin.
packsaddle
A stinging caterpillar with a saddle-shaped patch on its back.
paddling
Walking or heading off somewhere, usually at an easy clip.
pallet
A makeshift bed of quilts on the floor.
Papaw
Grandfather, Southern family title.
particular
Fussy, picky, or hard to please about how something gets done.
passel
A whole bunch — a big, fuzzy number of people or things.
peaked
Looking sick, pale, or washed out.
peanut beans
An Appalachian heirloom bean with peanut-colored seeds.
peck
A farm measure equal to a quarter bushel, or a fair heap of something (trouble included).
pecking the cap
Tapping a still's cap to hear if mash has boiled up into it.
peep-eye
Peekaboo — the face-hiding game you play with a baby.
Peepaw
Grandfather; a soft Southern family title.
persimmons
Native orange fruit of the woods, sweet after frost and famous for puckering you first.
pert near
Almost. Darn close to.
piddle
To putter, dawdle, or waste time on little stuff.
piece
A stretch of road with no mile markers, a little bit of something, or (sometimes) a gun.
pig trail
A rough, skinny back road or path barely wide enough for one truck.
pigskins
Footballs — the oval you throw, kick, or tote on Friday night.
piller
Pillow, said the mountain way.
pine straw
Fallen pine needles, especially when raked for mulch.
pitcher
How a lot of Southern mouths say picture.
pithy
Soft, mealy fruit that has lost its snap.
plumb
Completely; straight-up very.
pobbly
Probably, said soft and short when nobody's dressing up their grammar.
pocketbook
A purse, or sometimes a man's billfold, depending on who is talking.
poke
A bag or sack — especially a little paper one from the store.
poke salad
Young pokeweed greens, boiled safe then fried like other Southern greens.
pokeberry
The dark purple berry on pokeweed, pretty to look at and bad to eat.
pokeweed
Tall wild plant with purple stems; young shoots make poke sallet.
polecat
A skunk, or a low-down person who acts like one.
pony jug
A little jug, usually of whiskey or moonshine you can tote easy.
pooch
A dog — usually the mutt on the porch, not a show champion.
popskull
Rough homemade whiskey that feels like it pops your skull.
possum
An opossum; the gray marsupial that raids the trash and plays dead.
pot liquor
The rich broth left after boiling greens or beans.
privy
An outdoor toilet; the outhouse out back.
probly
Probably, said quick and casual.
prolly
Probably, smashed into two quick beats for porch talk and texting alike.
proud
Glad or pleased — not always stuck-up.
pumpknot
A raised lump on your head after a hard bump.
punkin
Pumpkin, said the way rural mouths actually say it.
puny
Feeling sickly, weak, or run-down; also small and frail.
pure-D
Out-and-out; the real, no-doubt-about-it kind.
pure-T
Complete, utter, out-and-out.
purty
Pretty, said the Southern way; also fairly, as in purty good.
put up
To can or store food for later, or to give somebody a bed for the night.