Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Speechless or confused in expression, as from shyness, embarrassment, or astonishment.
- adjective Affected with tongue-tie.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Having the tongue tied, by reason of the shortness of the bridle or frenum, to the extent of impeding speech or causing indistinct articulation.
- Unable to speak out or freely from whatever cause, as embarrassment: as, “tongue-tied simplicity,”
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Destitute of the power of distinct articulation; having an impediment in the speech, esp. when caused by a short frænum.
- adjective Unable to speak freely, from whatever cause.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective idiomatic Unable to express oneself
clearly orfluently ;at a loss for words . - adjective Suffering from
tongue-tie orankyloglossia .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective unable to express yourself clearly or fluently
Etymologies
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Examples
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Never had a guy made me feel so flustered, so completely tongue-tied, so . . . so hyperaware and self-conscious as this one did.
Haven Kristi Cook 2011
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When he bumped into people, instead of thanking them for keeping him on his feet, he complained in a slurred and tongue-tied voice.
Dreamseller: The Calling Augusto Cury 2011
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Never had a guy made me feel so flustered, so completely tongue-tied, so . . . so hyperaware and self-conscious as this one did.
Haven Kristi Cook 2011
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When I tried to do what they wanted, I was a tongue-tied mess.
Fallin’ Up Steve Dennis 2011
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How is it that we find a way to ask a boss for a raise or tell a spouse we hate their outfit, but we end up tongue-tied when we try to say "I love you" to the people who matter most to us?
I Just Called to Say, Ahem, I, Uhh, Love You Elizabeth Bernstein 2011
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When I tried to do what they wanted, I was a tongue-tied mess.
Fallin’ Up Steve Dennis 2011
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I have ever been tongue-tied with the king, and I have never been able to play anything.
Exit the Actress Priya Parmar 2011
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I have ever been tongue-tied with the king, and I have never been able to play anything.
Exit the Actress Priya Parmar 2011
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Never had a guy made me feel so flustered, so completely tongue-tied, so . . . so hyperaware and self-conscious as this one did.
Haven Kristi Cook 2011
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Never had a guy made me feel so flustered, so completely tongue-tied, so . . . so hyperaware and self-conscious as this one did.
Haven Kristi Cook 2011
smilingwords commented on the word tongue-tied
The best description when I met someone:)How can I get rid of that?!So awkward,so "not myself".
January 31, 2007