mullygrubs
A low, sulky mood; the blues with a bellyache edge.
Also called mulligrubs, mollygrubs.
Updated September 24, 2026
mullygrubs pronunciation
/MUL-ee-grubz/
Meaning
When somebody has the mullygrubs, they are down in the dumps, short-tempered, or just feeling off without a clear name for it. It can mean the sulks, a stretch of gloom, or that vague sick-and-sorry feeling that is not quite a fever. In Appalachian talk you hear it like a diagnosis for a bad morning: nothing broken, everything wrong.
How folks use it
- “Leave him alone till supper. He's got the mullygrubs today.”
- “I get the mullygrubs every January when the porch stays iced over.”
Origin and etymology
Older English had mulligrubs and mulligrums for the sulks or a belly gripe, likely twisted from megrims (low spirits). Southern and Appalachian speech kept mullygrubs strong. Horace Kephart wrote mountain folks saying somebody would have the mullygrubs over bad doings.
Frequently asked questions
Does mullygrubs mean you are sick?
Sometimes it means an upset stomach. More often it means you are blue, sulky, or just not right in the head for the day.