hoʊld jɔːr tʌŋ
Body Parts
neutral
intermediate
- Literally:
- To physically grip or restrain your tongue
What does "hold your tongue" mean?
- To refrain from speaking
- To keep quiet, especially when tempted to say something
Examples
- I wanted to argue, but I held my tongue.
- Hold your tongue if you can't say anything nice.
- She had to hold her tongue during the meeting.
Origin
The tongue as the organ of speech. Holding it means physically preventing oneself from speaking. Used since medieval times.
How to use it
Can be a command or describe self-restraint. Implies difficulty in staying silent.
Similar expressions
keep quiet
bite your tongue
zip your lips
stay silent
Opposites
speak up
voice your opinion
say your piece
Related idioms
- keep an eye on
To watch or monitor something carefully
- heart of gold
A very kind, generous, and caring nature
- caught red-handed
Caught in the act of doing something wrong
- keep your chin up
To stay positive and not be discouraged
- wrap your head around something
To understand something complex
- all ears
Listening attentively and eagerly
Use it in a practice answer
Try "hold your tongue" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.