bitten one's tongue
Suppressed an outburst
To have bitten one's tongue is to have restrained oneself from saying something—usually a retort, criticism, or opinion that might cause trouble.
The phrase implies effort and self-control, as if physically clamping down to prevent words from escaping: I wanted to tell him he was wrong, but I bit my tongue.
Sometimes the restraint is regretted: I've bitten my tongue too many times around her.
- held backKept from advancing
- silenceTotal lack of sound
- restraintControl over impulses
- regretSorrow over past actions
- winceReflexive recoil from distress
kept quiet · pain · bleeding · sharp · teeth · mouth · self-control · unsaid · suppressed · frustration · sore · sting · hesitation · diplomacy · social grace · secret · tactful · awkward
bitten one's tonguesaid one's piece
Expressed one's view fully
blurted out · spoken up · let it out · shot one's mouth off · run one's mouth
bitten one's tonguelashed out
Attacked verbally or physically
exploded · gone off · vented · let someone have it · blown up
bitten one's tonguemade waves
Caused notable disturbance
rocked the boat · stirred the pot · confronted · put one's foot in one's mouth · burned bridges
bite, bitten, biting, ones, tongue, tongues, tongued, tongueless