born in a tent
1
9.9
- idiom
- Offensive
- Don't act like you were born in a tent!
Examples
-
Whenever she eats with her mouth open, her mother reminds her not to act like she was born in a tent.
-
Leaving muddy footprints through the house, he was teased for behaving as if he had been born in a tent.
-
He slammed the door so loudly, I asked if he was born in a tent.
-
His behavior at the party was so rude; it was as if he was born in a tent.
-
Whenever she eats with her mouth open, her mother reminds her not to act like she was born in a tent.
-
Leaving muddy footprints through the house, he was teased for behaving as if he had been born in a tent.
-
His behavior at the party was so rude; it was as if he was born in a tent.
Synonyms
21
7.1
Rude and not showing respect to other people
1
9.9
To act carelessly or rudely, for example leaving doors open
1
7.1
Rude and showing bad manners
1
6.3
Not polite and often rude to others
Antonyms
How Rude
- Offensive
14
5.9
- Offensive
1
9.9
558
1.0
6
3.9
21
2.3
336
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase evokes the literal idea of being 'born' in a 'tent', which can loosely suggest a rough or informal upbringing, so there is a partial, inferable link between the constituents and the intended sense. However, the evaluative meaning 'rude/uncivilized' is culturally conventionalized and not fully predictable from the words alone, so a B1 learner who has not seen the expression may not reliably derive the insult.
Etymology
The phrase born in a tent may come from the image of someone literally born in a tent with no house rules, so they grow up loud or rough. That's why people use it to call someone 'rude' or 'uncivilized'.