biting one's tongue

A form of bite one's tongue — To resist the urge to speak out, especially in order to avoid saying something inappropriate or likely to cause a dispute.

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Meanings

verb
  1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of bite one's tongue
Cite this entry
APA

biting one's tongue. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/biting%20one's%20tongue

MLA

“biting one's tongue.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/biting%20one's%20tongue. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “biting one's tongue,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/biting%20one's%20tongue.

Source: biting one's tongue on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.