tongue
The soft part in your mouth that helps you taste, eat, and speak.
A movable, muscular organ inside the mouth, used for tasting, swallowing, and producing speech sounds.
A language that people speak.
A human language, especially when referring to it as the native language of a person or group.
The way someone speaks or writes.
A particular style or manner of speaking or writing.
A thin part that sticks out from something to fit into another part.
A narrow strip of material projecting from something, often fitting into a groove to form a joint.
- Base: tongue
- Plural: tongue, tongues
cat got your tongue?
1Why aren't you speaking? (informal)
Used to ask someone why they are not talking when you expect them to speak.
- You've been quiet all evening—cat got your tongue?
hold your tongue
1Stop speaking or stay silent
To not say anything, especially when you want to speak.
- I wanted to argue, but I held my tongue.
- Hold your tongue until the meeting is over.
on the tip of your tongue
1Almost remembering a word or name
You know you know a word or name, but you can't remember it right now.
- Her name is on the tip of my tongue, but I can't recall it.
- The answer is on the tip of my tongue.
tongue-tied
1Unable to speak from nervousness or shyness
Not able to talk because you feel shy or nervous.
- I get tongue-tied when speaking in public.
- He was tongue-tied in front of his favorite actor.
bite your tongue
1Stop yourself from speaking out
To stop yourself from saying something you want to say because it might cause trouble or hurt someone.
- I had to bite my tongue instead of telling him what I really thought.
- I had to bite my tongue when he started bragging.
- Bite your tongue! That's not something you should say in front of her.
- Bite your tongue before you say something you'll regret.
slip of the tongue
1Accidental speaking mistake of word choice
When you say the wrong thing by accident while speaking.
- Calling her by his ex's name was just a slip of the tongue.
- It was only a slip of the tongue; he meant no harm.
slip of the tongue
2Accidental speech mistake
When you say something by mistake instead of what you meant to say.
- Calling her by the wrong name was just a slip of the tongue.
- It was a slip of the tongue; I didn't mean to offend you.