hold your tongue
Meaning
To stay silent; stop yourself from speaking, especially to avoid trouble or saying something rude.
Origin
From the idea of physically restraining the tongue to prevent speech. Variants appear in Middle/early modern English; the metaphor parallels older phrases like “hold one’s peace.”
Notes
Often an imperative and can sound harsh (“Be quiet!”). Also used about self-control: stopping yourself from blurting something out.
Examples
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Hold your tongue until everyone has heard the full story.
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I wanted to argue, but I held my tongue to keep the meeting on track.
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If you can’t say something constructive, it’s better to hold your tongue.
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She bit back a comment and held her tongue in front of the clients.
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Hold your tongue for now—we’ll discuss it privately after dinner.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually “hold your tongue” (imperative). Can be inflected for tense/person: “I held my tongue,” “She held her tongue.” Possessive changes with subject (my/his/their tongue).
Synonyms
- keep quiet
- bite your tongue
- hold your peace
- remain silent
Antonyms
- speak up
- say your piece
- speak your mind
- blurt it out