to keep yourself from saying something that you really want to say
to stop one’s self from saying something rude
telling someone to bite their tongue is a way of telling them to stop speaking before the say something unwanted
refrain from saying something one wants to say, because the moment is inappropriate
hold your tongue
I had to bite my tongue when Peter said that he was hard-working.
I always have to bite my tongue when my sister-in-law is around.
It is better to bite one’s tongue than to say something nasty about someone else.
I have to bite my tongue not to give my sister advise on her new baby.
Bite your tongue! He doesn’t want to hear your opinion about everything.
The lady officer has a very quick temper and often fails to bite her tongue in an argument.
I wanted to tell him exactly what I am thought of him, but I had to bite my tongue falling silent and not speaking.
There is no origin for this idiom
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definition
Common phrase that has a specific meaning.