Dictionary

hold one's tongue en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) To refrain from talking about something.
   • “Hold your tongue, beadle,” said the second old gentleman, when Mr. Bumble had given vent to this compound adjective. “I beg your worship’s pardon,” said Mr. Bumble, incredulous of his having heard aright,—“did your worship speak to me?” “Yes—hold your tongue.” 1837 March, Boz [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], “Relates How Oliver Twist Was Very Near Getting a Place, Which Would Not Have Been a Sinecure”, in Oliver Twist; […], volume I, London: Richard Bentley, […], published 1838, →OCLC, page 48:
   • Except in the case of personal attacks, that space is reserved for readers' opinions, and we on the staff agree to hold our tongues (despite our opinionated natures) and leave it to letter-readers to form their own judgments. 1986 February 15, GCN staff, “Our Movement Is No Place for Jew-hating”, in Gay Community News, volume 13, number 31, page 4:
   • I don't like his political ideas, but I will hold my tongue.

Forms

Relateds

bite one's tongue

Translations (40)

mi whakatōngā (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · fi pitää suunsa kiinni (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · es guardar silencio (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · sv knipa igen (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · ru придержа́ть язы́к (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · ru молча́ть как ры́ба (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · sv tiga (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · it tenere a freno la lingua (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · sv knipa käft (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · it tenere la bocca chiusa (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · is þegja þunnu hljóði (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · pl trzymać język za zębami (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · la taceō (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · da tie stille (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · es callarse (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · ja 噤む (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · ar صَمَتَ (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · yi בײַסן זיך די צונג (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · da tie (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · ro tăcea (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · ru набра́ть воды́ в рот (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · ru держа́ть язы́к за зуба́ми (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · ki gũkira (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · el κρατώ το στόμα μου κλειστό (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · cmn 保持沉默 (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · la compesco linguam (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · cs držet jazyk za zuby (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · ru молча́ть как ры́ба об лёд (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · es morderse la lengua (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · hu befogja a száját (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · fi purra kieltänsä (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · ja 黙りこくる (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · el κρατάω το στόμα μου κλειστό (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · pt morder a língua (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · fr tenir sa langue (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · ro a-și ține gura (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · es cerrar el pico (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · la favete linguis (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · es mantener la boca cerrada (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up) · de den Mund halten (refrain from talking about something — see also shut up)