People in the USA use many sayings about the tongue. These phrases often do not mean what the words seem to say. Instead, they have special meanings that come from stories, history, or daily life. Learning them can make talking and writing more fun.
Idioms about the tongue can describe speaking, staying quiet, or saying something in a special way. Some show when people are nervous to speak. Others talk about saying things without meaning them seriously. In this article, we will look at some common ones and learn what they mean for American conversations.
Idioms About Tongue
1. Cat got your tongue
Meaning: Not speaking when expected.
Example Sentence:
• Mom asked if I broke the vase, but I stayed quiet. Cat got your tongue?
• He didn’t answer the teacher’s question—cat got his tongue.
Other ways to say: Speechless, can’t talk
Fun Fact/Origin: This saying may come from sailors in the 1800s, when punishments left people too scared to talk.
Usage: Used when someone is strangely silent.
2. Bite your tongue
Meaning: Stop yourself from saying something.
Example Sentence:
• I wanted to laugh at his joke, but I bit my tongue.
• She bit her tongue instead of saying something mean.
Other ways to say: Hold back, keep quiet
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of biting your tongue so you can’t speak.
Usage: Used when stopping yourself from talking.
3. Slip of the tongue
Meaning: A small speaking mistake.
Example Sentence:
• I called her by the wrong name by a slip of the tongue.
• He made a slip of the tongue during his speech.
Other ways to say: Misspeak, verbal mistake
Fun Fact/Origin: First used hundreds of years ago to mean an unplanned error in speaking.
Usage: Used for accidental words.
4. Tongue-tied
Meaning: Unable to speak because of nerves.
Example Sentence:
• I was tongue-tied when meeting my favorite baseball player.
• She got tongue-tied during the school play.
Other ways to say: Lost for words, frozen up
Fun Fact/Origin: Dates back to the 1500s, meaning your tongue feels tied and can’t move.
Usage: Used for nervous silence.
5. Hold your tongue
Meaning: Stay quiet, often when told to.
Example Sentence:
• Dad told me to hold my tongue during the meeting.
• I wanted to complain, but I held my tongue.
Other ways to say: Keep quiet, don’t speak
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from imagining grabbing your tongue to stop talking.
Usage: Used to tell someone to be quiet.
6. Speak in tongues
Meaning: Speak in a way not understood, often strange or spiritual.
Example Sentence:
• The kids were speaking in tongues only they understood.
• At church, some people spoke in tongues.
Other ways to say: Speak oddly, talk in unknown words
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from Bible stories about speaking unknown languages.
Usage: Used for mysterious or unusual speech.
7. Silver-tongued
Meaning: Good at speaking in a charming way.
Example Sentence:
• The silver-tongued salesman convinced us to buy more cookies.
• She’s silver-tongued and always wins debates.
Other ways to say: Persuasive, smooth talker
Fun Fact/Origin: Used since the 1500s to describe someone whose speech is as smooth as silver.
Usage: Used for people who talk well and persuasively.
8. Tongue-lashing
Meaning: A strong scolding.
Example Sentence:
• The coach gave the team a tongue-lashing for being late.
• Mom gave me a tongue-lashing for forgetting my homework.
Other ways to say: Scolding, telling off
Fun Fact/Origin: From the idea of the tongue “whipping” someone with harsh words.
Usage: Used when someone is angrily corrected.
9. Loose-tongued
Meaning: Talking too freely and carelessly.
Example Sentence:
• He’s loose-tongued and tells everyone’s secrets.
• Don’t be loose-tongued at the party.
Other ways to say: Talkative, careless with words
Fun Fact/Origin: Describes someone whose tongue “moves too loosely.”
Usage: Used for people who talk without thinking.
10. Sharp-tongued
Meaning: Speaking in a harsh or critical way.
Example Sentence:
• The sharp-tongued critic didn’t like the new movie.
• My aunt can be sharp-tongued when she’s tired.
Other ways to say: Harsh speaker, critical
Fun Fact/Origin: Dates back to the 1500s, meaning words can “cut” like a knife.
Usage: Used for people who talk in a cutting way.
11. On the tip of my tongue
Meaning: Almost able to remember something.
Example Sentence:
• His name is on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t recall it.
• The answer was on the tip of my tongue during the quiz.
Other ways to say: Almost remembered, just can’t recall
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from feeling the word close but not fully there.
Usage: Used when you nearly remember a word or name.
12. Tongue like a viper
Meaning: Speaking in a mean or hurtful way.
Example Sentence:
• She has a tongue like a viper when she’s mad.
• His tongue was like a viper during the argument.
Other ways to say: Nasty talker, venomous words
Fun Fact/Origin: Compares harsh speech to a snake’s bite.
Usage: Used for very mean speaking.
13. Tongue-in-cheek
Meaning: Said as a joke, not serious.
Example Sentence:
• His comment was tongue-in-cheek, so no one got upset.
• She made a tongue-in-cheek remark about the weather.
Other ways to say: Playful, joking
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from pressing your tongue inside your cheek as a sign of joking.
Usage: Used for humorous but not serious comments.
14. Lick one’s chops (or lips)
Meaning: Show eager interest.
Example Sentence:
• The kids licked their chops at the sight of the cake.
• He’s licking his chops to play in the championship.
Other ways to say: Eager, can’t wait
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from animals licking their mouths when hungry.
Usage: Used for excited anticipation.
15. Forked tongue
Meaning: Speak dishonestly.
Example Sentence:
• He speaks with a forked tongue—don’t trust him.
• She accused him of having a forked tongue after the lie.
Other ways to say: Liar, double-talker
Fun Fact/Origin: Early American settlers used it to describe people who broke promises.
Usage: Used when someone speaks falsely.
16. Tongue wagging
Meaning: Causing gossip.
Example Sentence:
• Their surprise wedding had tongues wagging in town.
• The new student’s outfit got tongues wagging.
Other ways to say: Spark gossip, make people talk
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from picturing tongues moving while talking.
Usage: Used for events that make people gossip.
17. Set tongues wagging
Meaning: Make people gossip.
Example Sentence:
• The singer’s new song set tongues wagging.
• That photo set tongues wagging on social media.
Other ways to say: Start talk, create buzz
Fun Fact/Origin: Same as “tongue wagging” but shows starting the gossip.
Usage: Used when something starts talk.
18. Find your tongue
Meaning: Start talking after being silent.
Example Sentence:
• After a minute, he found his tongue and answered.
• She finally found her tongue to tell the story.
Other ways to say: Speak up, start talking
Fun Fact/Origin: Suggests the tongue was lost and is now “found” to speak.
Usage: Used when someone begins speaking after silence.
19. Have a sharp tongue
Meaning: Often say mean or critical things.
Example Sentence:
• The teacher has a sharp tongue when kids misbehave.
• He’s funny but has a sharp tongue.
Other ways to say: Critical speaker, biting words
Fun Fact/Origin: Similar to “sharp-tongued,” comparing words to sharp tools.
Usage: Used for harsh talkers.
20. Tongue twisted
Meaning: Having trouble speaking clearly.
Example Sentence:
• I got tongue twisted during my speech.
• She was tongue twisted trying to say the long name.
Other ways to say: Stumbled over words, tripped up
Fun Fact/Origin: From the feeling of your tongue twisting when speaking fast.
Usage: Used for speech mistakes.
21. Give someone a tongue
Meaning: Speak sharply to someone.
Example Sentence:
• She gave me a tongue for being late.
• The coach gave the player a tongue about missing practice.
Other ways to say: Tell off, scold
Fun Fact/Origin: Older phrase for giving a “tongue-lashing.”
Usage: Used when scolding.
22. Loose tongue
Meaning: Careless with what you say.
Example Sentence:
• His loose tongue got him in trouble.
• Don’t have a loose tongue around reporters.
Other ways to say: Careless talk, blabbermouth
Fun Fact/Origin: Related to “loose-lipped” meaning easy to talk.
Usage: Used for careless speakers.
23. Long-tongued
Meaning: Fond of gossiping.
Example Sentence:
• She’s long-tongued and knows everyone’s secrets.
• That long-tongued neighbor is always chatting.
Other ways to say: Gossip, chatterbox
Fun Fact/Origin: Suggests a tongue that talks too much.
Usage: Used for people who gossip.
24. Tie your tongue
Meaning: Make someone unable to speak.
Example Sentence:
• The question tied my tongue.
• Fear tied his tongue in front of the class.
Other ways to say: Mute, silenced
Fun Fact/Origin: Imagines someone’s tongue tied in a knot.
Usage: Used for speechless moments.
25. Have a honeyed tongue
Meaning: Speak sweetly to charm.
Example Sentence:
• The honeyed-tongued student got an extra cookie.
• He has a honeyed tongue and makes friends fast.
Other ways to say: Sweet talker, flattering
Fun Fact/Origin: Compares kind words to sweet honey.
Usage: Used for charming talk.
26. Lash with your tongue
Meaning: Criticize harshly.
Example Sentence:
• She lashed me with her tongue for the mistake.
• The coach lashed the team with his tongue.
Other ways to say: Scold, criticize
Fun Fact/Origin: From the image of whipping with words.
Usage: Used for strong verbal criticism.
27. Too much tongue
Meaning: Speaking too much.
Example Sentence:
• He has too much tongue during class.
• Too much tongue got her in trouble.
Other ways to say: Talks too much, chatterbox
Fun Fact/Origin: Suggests having extra tongue for endless talking.
Usage: Used for over-talkers.
28. Speak with your tongue hanging out
Meaning: Speak while very tired.
Example Sentence:
• After the race, he spoke with his tongue hanging out.
• She was so worn out she spoke with her tongue hanging out.
Other ways to say: Exhausted speech, panting
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from animals sticking out their tongues when tired.
Usage: Used for speaking while worn out.
Quiz: Idioms About Tongue
Instructions: Choose the correct meaning for each idiom. Only one answer is correct.
Question Key
1. What does “cat got your tongue” mean?
A) You lost your pet
B) You are not speaking when expected
C) You are laughing loudly
2. If someone tells you to “bite your tongue,” what should you do?
A) Speak faster
B) Hold back from saying something
C) Sing a song
3. What does “slip of the tongue” describe?
A) Speaking perfectly
B) Saying the wrong thing by mistake
C) Forgetting how to talk
4. If a person is “tongue-tied,” how do they feel?
A) Nervous and unable to speak
B) Happy and excited
C) Hungry and tired
5. What does “hold your tongue” mean?
A) Keep quiet
B) Speak louder
C) Tell a joke
6. If someone is “silver-tongued,” what are they good at?
A) Cooking food
B) Talking in a charming way
C) Playing sports
7. What does “loose-tongued” mean?
A) Talking too freely or carelessly
B) Speaking another language
C) Whispering quietly
8. If something is “on the tip of your tongue,” what does that mean?
A) You can’t taste your food
B) You are almost able to remember something
C) You forgot to eat
9. What does “tongue-in-cheek” mean?
A) Speaking in a joking way
B) Speaking while chewing gum
C) Speaking in another language
10. If someone “speaks with a forked tongue,” what are they doing?
A) Talking in two voices
B) Speaking dishonestly
C) Speaking very fast
11. What does “set tongues wagging” mean?
A) Start gossip or talk
B) Practice speaking skills
C) Warm up for singing
12. If you “find your tongue,” what happens?
A) You start talking after being silent
B) You learn a new word
C) You taste something sweet
Answer Key
- B) You are not speaking when expected
- B) Hold back from saying something
- B) Saying the wrong thing by mistake
- A) Nervous and unable to speak
- A) Keep quiet
- B) Talking in a charming way
- A) Talking too freely or carelessly
- B) You are almost able to remember something
- A) Speaking in a joking way
- B) Speaking dishonestly
- A) Start gossip or talk
- A) You start talking after being silent
Wrapping Up
Idioms about the tongue make American English richer and more fun to use. They can show when someone is silent, speaking in a sweet way, or talking without thinking. Knowing them helps you understand conversations better and use colorful expressions yourself.
In daily life across the USA, these phrases appear in school, work, sports, and even at home. Next time you hear one, you’ll know exactly what it means—and maybe you’ll use a few yourself.
