slack-jawed

See also: slackjawed

English

Alternative forms

• slackjawed

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Adjective

slack-jawed (comparative more slack-jawed, superlative most slack-jawed)

1. With the mouth in an open position and the jaw hanging loosely, especially as indicating bewilderment or astonishment.

   Synonyms: dazzled, dumbfounded, open-mouthed, stunned

   • 1911, Rex Ellingwood Beach, chapter 26, in The Ne'er-Do-Well‎^[1]:

     For one frightful moment there was no sound; even the men's breathing was hushed, and they sat slack-jawed, stunned, half-minded to believe this some hideous, incredible jest.

   • 1992, Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash, New York: Bantam Books, →ISBN, page 33:

     The Pudgelys and the Pinkhearts and the Roundasses are all staring at her, slackjawed.

2. (by extension) Unsophisticated or unthinking; dimwitted in appearance.

   Synonyms: dopey, stupid, stupefied

   • 2002, Brooks Blevins, Hill Folks: A History of Arkansas Ozarkers and their Image, →ISBN, page 262:

     She brought to the stage the barefoot, slack-jawed frontiersmen found on postcards in every convenience store and tourist trap in the Ozarks.

   • 2005 July 24, Michelle Cottle, “My Roving Barcalounger”, in Time‎^[2], archived from the original on 2005-07-28:

     But driving a car—particularly the supersize models—really should demand more concentration than, say, slouching slack-jawed in front of the wide screen in your den.

3. (dated) Overly talkative; indiscreet.

   Synonym: big-mouthed

   • 1917, P. G. Wodehouse, “Wilton's Holiday”, in The Man with Two Left Feet and Other Stories‎^[3]:

     As a matter of fact, it was by trying to lean on it that Spencer Clay got hold of the facts of the case; and when young Clay got hold of anything, Marois Bay at large had it hot and fresh a few hours later; for Spencer was one of those slack-jawed youths who are constitutionally incapable of preserving a secret.

Translations

Translations

• Spanish: boquiabierto (es)

See also

• mouth breather