hold your tongue

Definitions

• to remain silent
  to tell someone to stop talking or to not speak

• to not reveal a secret
  to urge someone to keep quiet about something they know

Examples of hold your tongue

• Sarah wanted to tell her boss about the mistake he made during the presentation, but she held her tongue as she didn't want to disrupt the flow of the meeting.

  The phrase "hold your tongue" here means to refrain from speaking, specifically to avoid saying something that could have negative consequences. In Sarah's case, she decided not to point out the error because she didn't want to disrupt the meeting or cause any embarrassment to her boss.

• Joe's friend had some nasty gossip about Joe's girlfriend, but Joe advised her to hold her tongue as spreading rumors would only harm Joe's relationship.

  Again, "hold your tongue" is used to mean keeping quiet, in this instance, to refrain from spreading malicious rumors or gossip that might damage someone else's reputation or relationship.

• The school principal warned the students to hold their tongue during the exam, saying any noise would disrupt the other students and result in penalty marks.

  Here, "hold your tongue" refers to being silent and not making any noises that could disturb others who are trying to concentrate, such as coughing, sneezing, or whispering.

• Although Rachel knew that her sister's fiancé was wrong for her, she held her tongue and refrained from sharing her opinions with her sister.

  Finally, "hold your tongue" represents staying quiet and not sharing negative thoughts or criticisms that could hurt someone else's feelings, even if those thoughts are true. In Rachel's case, she chose not to say anything because she respected her sister's decision and didn't want to intervene in her relationships.

• During the team meeting, John was eager to share his opinion on every matter, but Sarah reminded him to "hold your tongue" until it was his turn to speak.

  This idiom means to refrain from speaking, especially when you are angry or have strong feelings about a subject. In this example, Sarah was advising John to wait until it was his turn to speak instead of interrupting others or speaking out of turn.

• The negotiation was going badly, and Emily's boss suggested that she should "hold her tongue" and not reveal their company's strategy to the other party.

  This idiom is often used in situations where secrecy is necessary, or revealing information could be detrimental. Emily's boss was advising her to keep quiet and not disclose any sensitive information that could impact their company's future negotiations.

• After the embarrassing incident at the party, Rachel's friends warned her to "hold her tongue" about the matter and not create any drama by spreading rumors or gossiping.

  This idiom is used when people want to avoid any misunderstandings or conflicts by keeping quiet about a matter. Rachel's friends were advising her to not make the situation worse by spreading rumors or gossiping, which could potentially harm her reputation or damage her relationships with others.

• The judge instructed the witness to "hold his tongue" about certain details that could prejudice the jury's decision.

  This idiom is often used in legal proceedings to ensure that the witness doesn't reveal any information that could impact the outcome of the trial. The judge was advising the witness to not disclose any details that could influence the jury's decision or affect the fairness of the trial.

Conclusion

The idiom "hold your tongue" is used to instruct someone to stop speaking or to keep a secret. It can be used in a variety of situations, whether it's to silence someone who is talking too much or to remind someone to not disclose confidential information.

Origin of "hold your tongue"

The origin of the idiom "hold your tongue" can be traced back to the idea of physically holding one's tongue to prevent oneself from speaking. It is often used as a polite way to tell someone to be quiet. The phrase has been used in the English language for centuries and is still commonly used today. In various cultures, the act of holding one's tongue has been associated with the idea of self-control and restraint in speech. The idiom has also been used in literature and popular culture, further solidifying its place in the English language. For example, in Shakespeare's play "Much Ado About Nothing," one of the characters says, "I pray you, sir, is it your will / To make a stale of me amongst these mates?" and another responds with "I hold my tongue." This shows that the idiom has been used in English literature as far back as the 16th century. Overall, the idiom "hold your tongue" has deep roots in the English language and continues to be a common expression in modern times.