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Glite Dictionary
to tongue-tie

to tongue-tie

7.7
Make someone unable to speak easily because they feel nervous or surprised
  • phrasal verb
  • /ˈtʌŋˌtaɪ/
translation icon : dejar sin palabras
  • The difficult question seemed to tongue-tie even the most experienced speaker.

Examples

  • Nervousness can tongue-tie a person during important interviews.

  • The teacher's harsh comments tongue-tied the shy student for the rest of the class.

  • Don't tongue-tie yourself!

  • She tongue-tied herself at the party.

  • The surprise announcement left her feeling tongue-tied and unable to respond.

  • When he saw his childhood hero, he became tongue-tied and couldn't say a word.

  • The sudden question during the interview made him tongue-tied and hesitant to answer.

Antonyms

articulate
64 4.6

Able to express ideas clearly in speech or writing

How Speechless

to tongue-tie
7.7
to fluster
3 5.5
to embarrass
642 2.1

Surface Forms

tongue-tie infinitive
tongue-tied past
tongue-tied past participle
tongue-tying present participle
tongue-ties third person singular

Morphology

tongue-tie = tongue + tie (transparent) = tongue + tie

The meaning 'to tie the tongue' (prevent someone speaking) follows directly from the clear combination of 'tongue' + 'tie' and is readily inferable by learners.

Etymology

Tongue-tie comes from the picture of a tongue being tied ('fastened' like a knot) so it cannot move to speak. That's why if someone is tongue-tied, they cannot speak easily because they are nervous or surprised.