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bite one's tongue. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
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English
Pronunciation
Verb
bite one's tongue (third-person singular simple present bites one's tongue, present participle biting one's tongue, simple past bit one's tongue, past participle bitten one's tongue)
- (idiomatic) To resist the urge to speak out, especially in order to avoid saying something inappropriate or likely to cause a dispute.
- Synonym: bite one's lip
2011, Mike Pappas, Growing Up the Greek Way in the Big Apple, page 103:She wanted to go see a movie called Gigi, which I was not too thrilled about. But being a gentleman, I bit my tongue and said, “Okay.”
2013, Katy Perry, Roar:I used to bite my tongue and hold my breath / Scared to rock the boat and make a mess.
2021 August 13, Gayle, Sara Davis, David Pittenger, “abcdefu”, in A Study of the Human Experience Volume One, performed by Gayle:I swear I meant to mean the best when it ended / Even try to bite my tongue when you start shit / Now you're texting all my friends, asking questions / They never even liked you in the first place
Usage notes
- Often used in the imperative mood, to admonish someone who has said something unfeeling or harsh:
Bite your tongue! She has enough on her mind without having to worry about comments like that from you.
Translations
prevent oneself from uttering a word
See also