at the tip of one's tongue
on the tip of one's tongue
Almost spoken; at the point of being said.
It was at the tip of my tongue to tell him, when the phone rang.
John had a rude answer on the tip of his tongue, but he remembered his manners just in time.
Almost remembered; at the point where one can almost say it but cannot because it is forgotten.
I have his name on the tip of my tongue.
"His name is on the tip of my tongue," Tom said. "It will come to me in a minute."
bite one's lips
bite one's tongue
To force oneself to remain silent and not to reveal one's feelings.
Заставить себя или кого-то не показывать свои чувства, оставаться молчаливым.
I had to bite my lips when I heard my boss give the wrong orders.
It was difficult for me not to react; I had to bite my tongue.
Для меня было трудно не среагировать, поэтому пришлось прикусить язык.
cat got one's tongue
cat get one's tongue
You are not able or willing to talk because of shyness. Usually used about children or as a question to children.
Быть не способным ясно говорить из-за стеснения; "проглотить язык". Обычно используется в разговоре о детях или в вопросах к детям.
Tommy's father asked Tommy if the cat had got his tongue.
The little girl had a poem to recite, but the cat got her tongue.
He sounds like cat's got his tongue.
Он говорит очень неясно, непонятно.
The cat suddenly got my tongue in the middle of my speech. Thank God, some of the students began to ask me questions.
Я вдруг "проглотил язык" посередине своей речи. Слава Богу, кое-кто из студентов начал задавать мне вопросы.
find one's tongue
find one's wings
find one's feet
To become able to use (some power of the body or mind.)
In the program for the parents, John was nervous and could not speak at first; then he found his tongue.
The young bird had just found its wings.
The baby was just beginning to find his feet.
The question surprised him, and it was a minute before he found his tongue.
hold one's tongue
To be silent; keep still; not talk. May be considered rude.
Быть тихим, молчаливым.
Если используется в повелительном наклонении, то имеет оттенок грубости или фамильярности.
Если используется в повелительном наклонении, то имеет оттенок грубости или фамильярности.
The teacher told Fred to hold his tongue.
If people would hold their tongues from unkind speech, fewer people would be hurt
Why don’t you hold your tongue?
Почему бы тебе не придержать язык за зубами?
keep a civil tongue in one's head
To be polite in speaking.
He was very angry with his boss, but he kept a civil tongue in his head.
The bus driver began yelling at the woman and she told him to keep a civil tongue in his head.
lose one's tongue
To be so embarrassed or surprised that you cannot talk.
The man would always lose his tongue when he was introduced to new people.
slip of the tongue
slip of the lip
The mistake of saying something you had not wanted or planned to say; an error of speech.
No one would have known our plans if Kay hadn't made a slip of the tongue.
She didn't mean to tell our secret; it was a slip of the lip.