bite one's tongue

bite one's tongue
To forcibly prevent oneself from speaking, especially in order to avoid saying something inappropriate or likely to cause a dispute.

After the comments she made about homosexuals, I wanted to scream at her, but I bit my tongue instead.

Syn: bite ones lip

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • bite one's tongue — ► bite one s tongue make a desperate effort to avoid saying something. Main Entry: ↑bite …   English terms dictionary

  • bite one's tongue — phrasal see bite one s lip * * * make a desperate effort to avoid saying something I had to bite my tongue and accept his explanation …   Useful english dictionary

  • bite one's tongue —    If you bite your tongue, you try not to say what you really think or feel.     It was difficult for me not to react; I had to bite my tongue …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • bite one's tongue — make a desperate effort to avoid saying something. → bite …   English new terms dictionary

  • bite one's tongue — phrasal to hold back (as from a reluctance to offend) a remark one would like to make …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • bite one's tongue — restrain oneself, keep quiet …   English contemporary dictionary

  • bite one's lip — phrasal or bite one s tongue : to hold back a remark one would like to make * * * bite one s lip To restrain one s anger or mirth • • • Main Entry: ↑bite bite one s lip 1. To do this to show annoyance or disappointment 2 …   Useful english dictionary

  • bite one's lip — I wanted to say something about that hideous dress, but I bit my lip Syn: keep quiet, keep one s mouth shut, say nothing, bite one s tongue …   Thesaurus of popular words

  • bite one's lip — idi bite one s lip or tongue, to repress one s anger or other emotions …   From formal English to slang

  • one could have bitten one's tongue off — one profoundly regrets having said something. → bite …   English new terms dictionary

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