I recently began writing a column for the Goldsboro News-Argus, NC. An article I have just composed includes the word mommick, whhich was standard fare here in eastern North Carolina when I was growing up. The word puzzles most northern and western “intruders” but the homefolks understand, “Don’t mommick it up.” It simply means don’t mess it up or screw it up.
Sherwood ‘Owl’ Williford
Ray Boyce:
May 10th, 2013 at 10:26 am
I am from central WV and the word mommick was used by all from the previous generation.That would be 50 and 60′s . It mean to harass pester or torment, usually refer to a child.
Leave a comment
Search us!
Search The Word Detective and our family of websites:
This is the easiest way to find a column on a particular word or phrase.
To search for a specific phrase, put it between quotation marks.
Ask a Question!
Puzzled by Posh?
Confounded by Cattycorner?
Baffled by Balderdash?
Flummoxed by Flabbergast?
Perplexed by Pandemonium?
Nonplussed by... Nonplussed?
Annoyed by Alliteration?
Kjeri Kaye:
December 6th, 2011 at 3:06 pm
So, is Mammock related at all to amok as in “The furious chinchilla ran amok, mammocking everything in sight including the poodle.”
Paul Klein:
December 20th, 2011 at 10:09 am
When you say Eastern NC, do you mean Carteret County, east of Beaufort? The term was in common usage in the ’50s and ’60s when I was growing up there.
“Honey, he mommocked it!”
Sherwood Williford:
August 30th, 2012 at 10:06 am
I recently began writing a column for the Goldsboro News-Argus, NC. An article I have just composed includes the word mommick, whhich was standard fare here in eastern North Carolina when I was growing up. The word puzzles most northern and western “intruders” but the homefolks understand, “Don’t mommick it up.” It simply means don’t mess it up or screw it up.
Sherwood ‘Owl’ Williford
Ray Boyce:
May 10th, 2013 at 10:26 am
I am from central WV and the word mommick was used by all from the previous generation.That would be 50 and 60′s . It mean to harass pester or torment, usually refer to a child.