Why does a horse go as fast as he can when he is cruelly whipped, and his poor mouth wounded by the hard bit?
Just such a poor mouth you had, Julius, when we wanted on the second story.
Alfred, Alfred, you are making a poor mouth of it to get out of marrying Ellie.
Master Alleyn, don't make a poor mouth; you're none so needy.
But he took a curious, excited pleasure in the thought of the 'poor mouth' he was going to make to Hannah.
I looked at his portraits, a heavy, almost froggish face, with projecting eyes and a thick moustache to hide a poor mouth.
Always a great one for a poor mouth he was, Mr. Teitlebaum, even when he had it.
See, children, just as soon as I say a word, mad like a wet hen he gets and right away puts on a poor mouth.
poor mouth; making the poor mouth is trying to persuade people you are very poor—making out or pretending that you are poor.
And yet I am told that the old woman was not accustomed to "make a poor mouth," as the saying goes.
[make a poor mouth, ''to whine, make the worst of things,'' is found as Scots dialect by 1822]