Tuckered is a 19th-century American colloquial word for ‘to tire’ or ‘weary’ that was popular in New England and New York. It is often heard in the Southern United States or in rural areas, perhaps due to it’s popularity in B-Western movies from the ’30 and ’40s. 1Price, Steven D. Endangered Phrases: Intriguing Idioms Dangerously Close to Extinction. Skyhorse Pub, 2011.
Also:
tuckered out
plum tuckered out
Meaning Of Idiom ‘All Tuckered Out’
To be all tuckered out means to be tired; exhausted, very weary or overworked. To be tuckered out is the same as to be ‘tired out.’
Sentence Examples
“These kids have got me all tuckered out. They’ve been under my feet all day.”
“Let them fight. They’ll get tuckered out and then they’ll be friends again. That’s how boys are.”
“I’m going straight to bed. I’m tuckered out from painting the house all day.”
“I have to go to bed now.” “Just Iike that? We were having such a nice talk.” “I’m aII tuckered out.” — About Schmidt (2003)
“Stand back! Give poor Evinrude some air! He’s plumb tuckered out.” — The Rescuers (1977)
“Well, we’ve had a tough morning, and we’re all tuckered out.” — 3 Men and a Baby (1987)
“Come on, Jay, the old man ain’t worth the bullet. He looks all tuckered out.” — The Shootist (1976)
“It’s been a right busy day. You must be kind of tuckered out.” — Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
“Let’s spread out, make our way back. She couldn’t have gone far. Hey, we gonna find her. She’ll be tuckered out hiding in a bush somewhere.” — The Walking Dead: What Lies Ahead (2011)
“You’re sure one well-informed man, aren’t ya? Now, could you hand me that without straining yourself, or are you tuckered out from sticking your nose in my affairs?” — Escape to Witch Mountain (1975)
“It’s been quite a day. I’m a bit tuckered out. I think I’ll take a poco siesta.” — Goin’ South (1978)
Origin
The word tucker (to tire) may have come from the old English word ‘tuck’ meaning ‘to punish or torture.’
There is also claimed to be a connection to tucked cloth, or a person who was in the practice of fulling or softening cloth, called a tucker. This name derives from the Middle English word tukken, meaning softener of cloth. As the story goes, the phrase ‘tuckered out’ may have come from people comparing overworked and undernoushed animals to the appearance of tucked cloth.
Whatever the origin, tuckered out was made popular by appearing in many Western movies during the 1930 and 1940s. It doesn’t seem to appear alone very often. It’s usually preceded by all, clear, well-nigh, or plumb. The ‘plumb’ version was a specialty of American Western actor Gabby Hayes, who was celebrated with a look-alike and sound-alike in Mel Brook’s Blazing Saddles. Plumb simply means completely or absolutely and is used as an intensifier.
Tuckered out is often applied to young children. 2Martin, Garry. “Tuckered-out.” Phrases.org.uk, n.d. Web. Retrieved September 30, 2024.,3Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of tucker.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/tucker. Accessed 30 September, 2024.
More Idioms Related to Being Tired
