mouth music

Noun

mouth music (uncountable)

1. The vocal imitation of instrumental music.
   • She herself or one of the other crofter women of the townland would sing to us the mouth music.1877, Angus Macleod (speaker), “The Reciters' Lament, and Their Story”, in Alexander Carmichael, transl., edited by W.Y. Evans-Wentz, The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries, →ISBN, page 115
   • ‘Mouth music’ evolved in those parts of the country where poor people had no instruments but still wanted to dance.1996, George Odam with Joan Arnold and Alison Ley, Sounds of Music (Teacher's Book), →ISBN, page 61
2. Words (or sometimes actions) that sound good but do not mean anything.
   • I lived both with no belief in a higher power and I lived with a so-called religious belief in a higher power that was purely a dead religion. It was just mouth music.1982, Jess Lair, Ain't I a Wonder and Ain't You a Wonder Too, page 71
   • Saying it applies to the civil service is just mouth music from people out to collect money from civil service employees.1986, California Lawyer - Volume 6, page 51
3. (slang) Oral sex.
   • At some point in almost every gay encounter someone will play a little mouth music.1977, Charles Silverstein, Edmund White, The Joy of Gay Sex, New York: Crown Publishers, →ISBN, page 42