biting lip
Teeth on mouth
Biting one's lip is a gesture of restraint—holding back words, emotions, or reactions.
Someone bites their lip to keep from speaking out of turn, crying, or laughing at an inappropriate moment: She bit her lip to keep from telling him what she really thought.
The phrase also describes anxious anticipation: We're all biting our lips waiting for the test results.
- nervousUneasy and apprehensive
- anxiousTroubled by uncertainty
- anticipationState of awaiting something
- deep breathThorough filling of lungs
- teethEnamel-covered chewing structures
holding back tears · chewing · gnawing · tension · worry · flirting · seductive · coy · mixed signals · hesitation · restraint · holding back · blood · raw · chapped · taste · habit · fidgeting
- fidgetingfidgeting, fidget, tapping, fiddle, finger tapping
- suppressionrepression, inhibition, restraint, silencing, muzzling
- awkward momentsoops, cringe, embarrassment, yikes, awkward
- stress reactionspanic, fear, fright, terror, horror
- time wastingprocrastinating, procrastination, dawdling, dithering, puttering
biting lippoker face
Intentionally expressionless look
keeping a straight face · stoic demeanor · unflinching · self-possessed · unruffled
bite, bites, bit, bitten, biter, biters, biting, bitingly, lip