roll off the tongue en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
-
(idiomatic, of words, qualifier:speech, usually) To proceed into oral expression in a manner which is fluent, appealing, or glib.
[H]e repeated under his breath: "The Rock of Chickamauga! The Rock of Chickamauga!" It rolled resoundingly off the tongue, and he liked it.
1915, Joseph A. Altsheler, chapter 14, in The Rock of Chickamauga:Oh, the rhythm of my heart / Is beatin' like a drum / With the words "I love you" / Rolling off my tongue
1986, Marc Jordan, John Capek, “Rhythm of My Heart”, in Vagabond Heart, performed by Rod Stewart, published 1991:I'm a fan of Aaron Sorkin. . . . I just like the way his dialogue rolls off the tongue. I like to hear people say the words he writes.
2012 July 14, Kate Murphy, “Eric Stonestreet”, in New York Times, retrieved 14 Aug 2012:"Coddling criminals"—the alliteration makes it roll pleasantly off the tongue!
1914, Julian Hawthorne, chapter 5, in The Subterranean Brotherhood:Pilobolus is a word so fine and fat as it rolls off the tongue that, like a kitten or a May morning, it needs no meaning.
1978 November 20, “Dance: Fungus, Fantasy and Fun”, in Time:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| run off the tongue | alternative | lexicographic | |
| rolling off the tongue | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| trip off the tongue | alternative | lexicographic | |
| roll off one's tongue | alternative | lexicographic | |
| trip from the tongue | alternative | lexicographic | |
| run from the tongue | alternative | lexicographic | |
| rolls off the tongue | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| roll from the tongue | alternative | lexicographic | |
| rolled off the tongue | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| rolled off the tongue | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| roll from one's tongue | alternative | lexicographic |
Translations (3)
fi soljua (proceed into oral expression in a manner which is fluent) · cmn 朗朗上口 (proceed into oral expression in a manner which is fluent) · ru срываться с языка (proceed into oral expression in a manner which is fluent)