bitten back
Held your tongue
To bite back words or feelings is to suppress them, preventing their expression through conscious effort—as if catching them between the teeth before they escape: She bit back a sharp reply.
Bitten back describes what has been restrained this way: bitten back tears, bitten back anger.
The phrase suggests the suppression required real effort.
- nipQuick, sharp pinch
- retortQuick, cutting reply
- snapSudden sharp sound
- angerIntense hostile emotion
- defensivenessResistance to perceived attack
rebut · pain · resist · retaliate · resentment · frustration · indignation · spitefulness · knee jerk reaction · fight fire with fire · gnash · reply · counter · argue · sting · cut deep · rebel · oppose