hush
/hʌʃ/
The Jamaican way to say "hush" is hush.
The verb hush means to make quiet. In informal speech, you might hear the phrases Hush yuh mout or Hush up to request that someone becomes quiet.
Meaning: to make quiet (verb)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Kingston, the expression deh quiet is used to convey a firm request for silence.
How do you pronounce it?
/hʌʃ/
Did you know?
- While hush yuh mout literally means 'quiet your mouth', it is often used not just for noise but to tell someone to stop lying or talking nonsense.
- The phrase deh quiet is distinct from hush because it suggests a state of being still or remaining out of sight, not just stopping a sound.
- In some Jamaican contexts, telling someone to hush is not just about noise, but is a way to tell them to stop talking about a topic that is considered private or 'taboo'.
Examples in context
- Hush di baby.Quiet the baby.
- Mi a try hush di crowd.I am trying to quiet the crowd.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry hush, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
