The mouth helps us speak, eat, and smile. But did you know that many English phrases are based on the mouth? These phrases are called idioms. Idioms don’t always mean what the words say. They have special meanings.
In this article, we will learn fun and simple idioms about the mouth. These idioms are used in everyday conversations in the USA. They help us express thoughts in a more colorful way. Let’s explore these expressions and see what they really mean.
Idioms About Mouth
1. Bite your tongue
Meaning: Stop yourself from saying something.
Example Sentence:
– I wanted to say something mean, but I bit my tongue.
– He bit his tongue so he wouldn’t argue.
Other ways to say: Hold back, stay quiet
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase comes from the idea of physically stopping yourself by biting your tongue.
Usage: Used when someone is trying not to say something they might regret.
2. Put your foot in your mouth
Meaning: Say something embarrassing or wrong.
Example Sentence:
– I really put my foot in my mouth when I called her the wrong name.
– He put his foot in his mouth by asking about her age.
Other ways to say: Mess up, say something awkward
Fun Fact/Origin: It sounds silly, but the image of putting a foot in your mouth means saying something you shouldn’t.
Usage: Used when someone accidentally says the wrong thing.
3. Word of mouth
Meaning: People sharing news or information by talking.
Example Sentence:
– The new pizza place got popular by word of mouth.
– She heard about the movie from word of mouth.
Other ways to say: Gossip, talk around town
Fun Fact/Origin: Long before phones and the internet, people shared news by speaking.
Usage: Used when information spreads from person to person.
4. All mouth and no action
Meaning: Someone who talks a lot but doesn’t do anything.
Example Sentence:
– He says he’ll help, but he’s all mouth and no action.
– She brags, but never tries—just all mouth.
Other ways to say: Talker, big talk
Fun Fact/Origin: It shows a person who only uses their mouth and never follows through.
Usage: Used to describe people who make promises but don’t act.
5. Bad taste in your mouth
Meaning: A feeling of discomfort or upset after something.
Example Sentence:
– The argument left a bad taste in my mouth.
– That rude comment gave me a bad taste in my mouth.
Other ways to say: Feel upset, unhappy feeling
Fun Fact/Origin: While taste is about food, this idiom means an emotional reaction.
Usage: Used when something unpleasant happens and stays on your mind.
6. Foam at the mouth
Meaning: To be very angry or upset.
Example Sentence:
– He was foaming at the mouth when his team lost.
– She foamed at the mouth after the prank.
Other ways to say: Lose temper, go wild
Fun Fact/Origin: It comes from the image of angry animals with foam near their mouths.
Usage: Used when someone is very mad.
7. By word of mouth
Meaning: Information passed from one person to another.
Example Sentence:
– We found that bakery by word of mouth.
– His story spread by word of mouth.
Other ways to say: Through talking, heard from someone
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase has been used for hundreds of years, even before newspapers.
Usage: Used when information spreads from talking, not writing.
8. Keep your mouth shut
Meaning: Stay silent. Don’t tell a secret or say anything.
Example Sentence:
– I told him to keep his mouth shut about the surprise.
– She kept her mouth shut even when she knew the answer.
Other ways to say: Stay quiet, don’t tell
Fun Fact/Origin: It’s a common way to warn someone to stay silent.
Usage: Used when someone should not say anything.
9. Mouth off
Meaning: To talk back or speak rudely.
Example Sentence:
– Don’t mouth off to your teacher.
– He mouthed off and got grounded.
Other ways to say: Talk back, speak disrespectfully
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of using your mouth in a bad way.
Usage: Used when someone is being rude by speaking.
10. Watch your mouth
Meaning: Be careful about what you say.
Example Sentence:
– You’d better watch your mouth when you talk like that.
– Watch your mouth! That was rude.
Other ways to say: Speak kindly, don’t be rude
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom means to control your words before they hurt someone.
Usage: Used to warn someone to speak politely.
11. Shut your mouth
Meaning: Stop talking, usually said firmly.
Example Sentence:
– Shut your mouth and listen for a second.
– He told his brother to shut his mouth during the movie.
Other ways to say: Be quiet, zip it
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase can sound rude, so it’s used mostly in serious or angry times.
Usage: Used to tell someone to stop talking.
12. A big mouth
Meaning: A person who talks too much or tells secrets.
Example Sentence:
– Don’t tell her—she has a big mouth.
– His big mouth got us in trouble.
Other ways to say: Can’t keep a secret, blabbermouth
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom imagines a person with a mouth so big they can’t hold words in.
Usage: Used to describe someone who talks too much.
13. Mouth-watering
Meaning: Food that smells or looks very tasty.
Example Sentence:
– The smell of the cookies was mouth-watering.
– That burger looks mouth-watering!
Other ways to say: Delicious, tasty
Fun Fact/Origin: When we see yummy food, our mouths make more saliva, which led to this saying.
Usage: Used to talk about food that makes you hungry.
14. Born with a silver spoon in your mouth
Meaning: Born into a rich or lucky family.
Example Sentence:
– She was born with a silver spoon in her mouth.
– He doesn’t have to worry—he had a silver spoon in his mouth.
Other ways to say: Born lucky, born into money
Fun Fact/Origin: Rich babies used to get silver spoons as gifts long ago.
Usage: Used for people who had an easy start in life.
15. Down in the mouth
Meaning: Feeling sad or upset.
Example Sentence:
– He looked down in the mouth after losing the game.
– She’s down in the mouth today.
Other ways to say: Sad, blue
Fun Fact/Origin: When people are sad, their mouths often point downward.
Usage: Used to show someone is unhappy.
16. Butter wouldn’t melt in their mouth
Meaning: Someone looks innocent but may not be.
Example Sentence:
– She acted like butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, but she started the fight.
– He talks sweet, like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth.
Other ways to say: Acts innocent, sweet-talker
Fun Fact/Origin: If you’re so cool and calm, even butter wouldn’t melt, people might not guess your true side.
Usage: Used when someone acts sweet but may not be so kind.
17. Take the words right out of my mouth
Meaning: Say exactly what I was thinking.
Example Sentence:
– You took the words right out of my mouth—I was about to say that!
– She took the words out of my mouth when she said the food was great.
Other ways to say: Think the same thing, agree
Fun Fact/Origin: It feels like someone grabbed the words before you could say them.
Usage: Used when someone says what you were going to say.
18. Frothing at the mouth
Meaning: Extremely angry or excited.
Example Sentence:
– He was frothing at the mouth when he saw the broken window.
– She was frothing at the mouth with excitement for the concert.
Other ways to say: Super mad, very excited
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase comes from how animals look when they are very angry.
Usage: Used when someone is acting wild with emotion.
19. Mealy-mouthed
Meaning: Afraid to speak directly or honestly.
Example Sentence:
– He gave a mealy-mouthed answer and didn’t really say yes or no.
– Don’t be mealy-mouthed—tell the truth!
Other ways to say: Not clear, too soft-spoken
Fun Fact/Origin: It comes from someone who talks in a soft or unclear way, like they have meal (grain) in their mouth.
Usage: Used when someone avoids saying something clearly.
20. A smart mouth
Meaning: Saying clever or rude things back.
Example Sentence:
– Don’t get a smart mouth with your teacher.
– He had a smart mouth and always made snappy replies.
Other ways to say: Talk back, cheeky
Fun Fact/Origin: A “smart” mouth doesn’t mean intelligent—it means too clever in a rude way.
Usage: Used when someone speaks in a sassy or disrespectful tone.
21. Keep your mouth zipped
Meaning: Stay quiet and don’t share information.
Example Sentence:
– Keep your mouth zipped about the party.
– He kept his mouth zipped like I asked.
Other ways to say: Stay quiet, don’t spill the beans
Fun Fact/Origin: Imagine your lips zipped up like a coat!
Usage: Used when someone should not talk or reveal a secret.
22. Open mouth, insert foot
Meaning: Say something embarrassing without thinking.
Example Sentence:
– I said her mom looked old—open mouth, insert foot!
– He really did the open mouth, insert foot thing at dinner.
Other ways to say: Say something dumb, speak too fast
Fun Fact/Origin: It means you said something so bad, it’s like putting your foot in your mouth.
Usage: Used when someone says something embarrassing.
23. Live from hand to mouth
Meaning: To have just enough money for basic needs.
Example Sentence:
– They lived from hand to mouth after Dad lost his job.
– Some families live from hand to mouth during tough times.
Other ways to say: Barely get by, just enough
Fun Fact/Origin: It shows food going from your hand straight to your mouth, with no extras.
Usage: Used when people don’t have extra money.
24. Run off at the mouth
Meaning: Talk too much, often without thinking.
Example Sentence:
– He ran off at the mouth all lunch period.
– She runs off at the mouth when she’s nervous.
Other ways to say: Talk too much, chatter
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase pictures words just pouring out non-stop.
Usage: Used when someone talks a lot and won’t stop.
25. Mouth like a sailor
Meaning: Someone who uses bad words often.
Example Sentence:
– He has a mouth like a sailor—you shouldn’t repeat what he says.
– Watch your mouth! You’re starting to sound like a sailor.
Other ways to say: Swears a lot, uses rude words
Fun Fact/Origin: Sailors were known for rough language, so the phrase stuck.
Usage: Used for people who swear a lot.
26. Straight from the horse’s mouth
Meaning: From a trusted or original source.
Example Sentence:
– I heard it straight from the horse’s mouth—he’s moving.
– She got the news straight from the horse’s mouth.
Other ways to say: First-hand, directly
Fun Fact/Origin: Long ago, people checked horses’ teeth to learn their age. That’s how the phrase began.
Usage: Used when something comes from someone who really knows.
27. A mouthful
Meaning: A lot to say or hard to say.
Example Sentence:
– “Mississippi River Monsters” is a real mouthful!
– That name is a mouthful—can’t they make it shorter?
Other ways to say: Long phrase, tricky words
Fun Fact/Origin: Imagine trying to say a long phrase in one go—it’s hard to fit in your mouth.
Usage: Used when a phrase is long or tricky to say.
28. Foam at the mouth
Meaning: To be overly angry or upset (repeated for clarity, slight variant).
Example Sentence:
– She was foaming at the mouth after hearing the news.
– He foamed at the mouth when he saw the mess.
Other ways to say: Furious, enraged
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from how animals react when angry or sick.
Usage: Used when someone is extremely upset.
29. Give mouth-to-mouth
Meaning: Help someone breathe using rescue breathing.
Example Sentence:
– The lifeguard gave mouth-to-mouth to save him.
– He gave mouth-to-mouth until help arrived.
Other ways to say: Rescue breath, CPR
Fun Fact/Origin: This is a real first-aid method used in emergencies.
Usage: Used during life-saving situations.
30. Mouthful of marbles
Meaning: Hard to understand someone’s speech.
Example Sentence:
– He sounded like he had a mouthful of marbles.
– I couldn’t understand her—it was like a mouthful of marbles.
Other ways to say: Mumble, unclear speech
Fun Fact/Origin: Try talking with marbles in your mouth—it’s hard!
Usage: Used when someone’s speech is unclear.
Quiz: Idioms About Mouth
Instructions: Read each question and the answer choices carefully. Pick the letter that best matches the meaning of the phrase or expression.
Question Key
1. What does “bite your tongue” mean?
A) Yell at someone loudly
B) Eat something quickly
C) Stop yourself from speaking
2. If someone “put their foot in their mouth,” what did they do?
A) Said something embarrassing
B) Ate something spicy
C) Talked quietly
3. What does “word of mouth” mean?
A) Talking while eating
B) Sharing news by talking
C) Yelling across the room
4. If someone is “all mouth and no action,” what are they like?
A) Very quiet and shy
B) Talk a lot but don’t do anything
C) Always hungry
5. What does “watch your mouth” mean?
A) Look in a mirror
B) Be careful what you say
C) Brush your teeth
6. If someone has a “mouth like a sailor,” what does that mean?
A) They love boats
B) They eat fast
C) They use bad words a lot
7. What does “take the words right out of my mouth” mean?
A) You took my sandwich
B) You said exactly what I was thinking
C) You interrupted me
8. If someone is told to “keep their mouth zipped,” what should they do?
A) Sing loudly
B) Stay quiet
C) Laugh hard
9. What does “mouth-watering” describe?
A) A very funny joke
B) A tasty-looking food
C) A scary story
10. If someone is “down in the mouth,” how do they feel?
A) Happy and excited
B) Sleepy and tired
C) Sad or upset
Answer Key
- C) Stop yourself from speaking
- A) Said something embarrassing
- B) Sharing news by talking
- B) Talk a lot but don’t do anything
- B) Be careful what you say
- C) They use bad words a lot
- B) You said exactly what I was thinking
- B) Stay quiet
- B) A tasty-looking food
- C) Sad or upset
Wrapping Up
Idioms about the mouth are fun and helpful. They can show when someone is mad, quiet, or even enjoying a meal. These phrases make language more colorful and easy to understand. You don’t need to learn them all at once—just try using one or two next time you talk with someone. Little by little, you’ll get better at it.
