[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/mouthful/)

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# mouthful

noun (a mouthful, mouthfuls)

«mouthful» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. The amount of food or drink that fills your mouth or that you put in at one time. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mouthful/#m1)
2. (informal) A long word or name that is hard to say: «mastication» is a mouthful. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mouthful/#m2)
3. (informal) give someone a mouthful: to say rude or angry words to them (UK). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mouthful/#m3)

### In the lessons

In everyday life: «don't talk with a mouthful of food». In jokes, a long word is «a bit of a mouthful». In UK slang, «I got a mouthful from the neighbour» means you got shouted at. Phrases: a mouthful of, a bit of a mouthful, give someone a mouthful.

### Examples

- Don't talk with your mouth full — swallow that mouthful first! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mouthful/#x1)
- He took a big mouthful of cake. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mouthful/#x2)
- Just have one mouthful of broccoli. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mouthful/#x3)
- Her full name is a real mouthful. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mouthful/#x4)
- «Meteorological» is a bit of a mouthful. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mouthful/#x5)
- The old man gave the boys a mouthful for kicking the ball into his garden. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mouthful/#x6)
- I swallowed a mouthful of sea water. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mouthful/#x7)
- Take small mouthfuls so you don't choke. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mouthful/#x8)
- ‘Oh! what a mouthful of great white teeth you have, Grandmother!’ [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mouthful/#x9)

### Note

Countable: mouthfuls. Spelled with one l: mouthful (like spoonful, handful). Safety: small mouthfuls help prevent choking.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «mouthful» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mouthful/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«mouthful» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/mouthful.html) on Mova free.