bitten tongue
Silenced honest reaction
A bitten tongue is the painful result of accidentally clamping down on your own tongue while chewing or talking.
Figuratively, a bitten tongue represents words held back—restraint exercised to avoid saying something regrettable: I left the meeting with a bitten tongue, having kept my objections to myself.
To bite one's tongue is to practice such restraint.
- bleedingBlood loss from injury
- open woundUnhealed break in skin
- swollenAbnormally enlarged
- sharp painAcute bodily distress
- painBodily or emotional distress
wince · ouch · chewing · teeth · sore · raw · metallic · taste · blood · accident · slip · canker · ulcer · tender · throb · sting · mouthguard · silent
- injuriesbruise, fracture, sprain, fractures, concussion
- dental emergenciestoothache, dental pain, broken tooth, chipped tooth, cracked tooth
bitten tonguespeaking freely
Talking without restraint
speaking one's mind · outspokenness · candor · saying one's piece · letting loose
bitten tongueconfrontation
Direct hostile encounter
speaking up · calling out · pushback · standing one's ground · assertiveness
bite, biting, biter, biters, bites, tongue, tongues, tongued, tonguing