die Fresse
Translation
gob, trap, maw, piehole
Examples
Halt die Fresse!
Shut your trap!
Er hat eine große Fresse.
He's got a big mouth.
Er bekam eins auf die Fresse.
He got punched in the gob.
Grammar Patterns
die Fresse halten to shut one's trap Just shut your trap for a minute!
j-m auf die Fresse hauen/geben to punch sb. in the gob He threatened to punch me in the gob.
eine große Fresse haben to have a big mouth He has a big mouth but never does anything.
Similar Words
Synonyms: Maul, Gosche, Schnauze; Antonyms: Mund (neutral term for mouth)
Etymology
Derived from the verb 'fressen' (to eat like an animal). It originally referred to an animal's mouth, then became a vulgar term for a human's.
Memory Tips
Think of the verb 'fressen'. A 'Fresse' is the kind of mouth used for 'fressen' – aggressive and animalistic. This helps remember its vulgar connotation.