Hold your tongue
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
To stay quiet or hold back words, biting them down.
Origin
From 14th-century England, tied to speech; 'hold tongue' meant silence, slang by 1370s in a Chaucer tale for hush. A 1590s play uses it for a curb.
Usage Examples
- Hold your tongue; don't start a fight.
- He held his tongue; smart move.
- Hold your tongue; wait for it.
Browse More