en käft

Definition & meaning

Käft means mouth or jaws, especially when referring to an animal. When referring to a person’s mouth, it is informal and often rude or aggressive.

It can also refer to talking, especially in expressions involving silence or answering back.

Grammar & Word origin

Käft is an en-noun:

• Singular: en käft, käften
• Plural: käftar, käftarna

It is an old Swedish word related to words for the jaw or mouth in other Germanic languages.

Synonyms & antonyms

• mun ↗ — “mouth”; the neutral, everyday word.
• käke ↗ — “jaw”; refers to the anatomical jaw rather than the mouth.
• gap ↗ — “mouth” or “maw,” especially a wide-open mouth; can also sound rude when used about a person.

There is no common direct antonym.

Common phrases & collocations

• håll käften ↗ — “shut up”; a strongly rude command.
• ge käft ↗ — “talk back” or “answer back.”
• hålla käft ↗ — “keep quiet” or “shut up”; informal and potentially rude.