biting tongue
Holding words back
Biting one's tongue is restraining oneself from speaking—holding back words you want to say but shouldn't.
The image is of physically preventing speech: I had to bite my tongue when she criticized my work.
Usually implies the suppressed words would be angry, rude, or unwelcome.
The past tense bit my tongue is most common.
- silenceTotal lack of sound
- keeping quietRemaining silent
- restraintControl over impulses
- holding backPreventing forward movement
- bleedingBlood loss from injury
pain · teeth · cheek · self-control · frustration · inner turmoil · suppression · wincing · metallic · taste · regret · secrets · diplomacy · anger · patience · unspoken · silent treatment · clenching
- eating mishapschoking, spilling, dripping, burning mouth, brain freeze
- figurative actionsburning bridges, burying hatchet, cutting ties, jumping ship, losing face
- exasperationugh, sigh, groan, argh, geez
- self-controlself-control, restraint, willpower, composure, moderation
- suppressionrepression, inhibition, restraint, silencing, muzzling
- self-censorshipfiltering, holding back, self-policing, restraint, editing
biting tonguespeaking freely
Talking without restraint
speaking one's mind · speaking up · sounding off · speaking out · telling it like it is
biting tongueblurting out
Impulsive verbal release
losing one's temper · blowing up · lashing out · flying off the handle · exploding
bite, bites, bitten, biter, biters, tongue, tongues, tongued, tonguing