Why do we say lying through your teeth?

to tell someone something that you know is completely false: He asked me how old I was and, lying through my teeth, I said "29."
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on dictionary.cambridge.org


Why is it called lying through your teeth?

He lied through his teeth when he said he bought her an expensive engagement ring – it was just a cheap one from the catalogue. So, 'to lie through your teeth' means to say something that's false. Neil was telling an outrageous lie, I can't believe you fell for it.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on bbc.co.uk


What is talking through your teeth?

phrase. If you say that someone is lying through their teeth, you are emphasizing that they are telling lies.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on collinsdictionary.com


Where did the phrase like pulling teeth come from?

The expression like pulling teeth to describe a difficult task has been in use at least since the 1830s, and may be older. Before modern dentistry, pulling teeth in a literal sense was a long, painful process that involved perseverance and physical strength on the part of the tooth puller, as well as the patient.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on grammarist.com


Do teeth have skin?

Have you ever heard the expression “by the skin of your teeth” and wondered what it meant? After all, teeth don't have skin—at least not skin like the rest of your body, right? Most sources feel the phrase comes from the King James Bible translation of Job 19:20.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on drjrobb.com


Lying through your teeth



Why do we say no skin off my nose?

—used to say that someone does not care or does not have a strong opinion about something Go if you like—it's no skin off my nose.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on merriam-webster.com


Are teeth bones?

Teeth and bones look similar and share some commonalities, including being the hardest substances in your body. But teeth aren't actually bone. This misconception might arise from the fact that both contain calcium. More than 99 percent of your body's calcium can be found in your bones and teeth.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on healthline.com


What does go like the clappers mean?

Definition of like the clappers

British, informal. : very fast We drove/ran like the clappers.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on merriam-webster.com


Is pulling hens teeth a saying?

If you say that making someone do something was like pulling teeth, you mean it was very difficult and they did not want to do it: Getting her to tell me about her childhood was like pulling teeth.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on dictionary.cambridge.org


What does it mean to get a wiggle on?

(UK usually get a wriggle on) to hurry up: Get a wiggle on, or we'll miss the beginning of the concert. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Hurrying and doing things quickly.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on dictionary.cambridge.org


Do we use teeth to talk?

Every time we smile, frown, talk, or eat, we use our mouths and teeth. Our mouths and teeth let us make different facial expressions, form words, eat, drink, and begin the process of digestion. The mouth is essential for speech. With the lips and tongue, teeth help form words by controlling airflow out of the mouth.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on kidshealth.org


What does it mean to smile through your teeth?

Smiling is usually an expression of a positive emotion, and gritting teeth is often an expression of negative feelings or stress.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on medhumchat.com


Does your teeth affect the way you talk?

Speech problems are one of the possible consequences of crooked teeth—which is also known as malocclusion. The teeth, jaws, and tongue all play important roles in speech production, and crooked teeth can disrupt the overall harmony of the mouth. This can subsequently impact the way you form words.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on webmd.com


What does the saying mean long in the tooth?

Getting on in years, old, as in Aunt Aggie's a little long in the tooth to be helping us move. This expression alludes to a horse's gums receding with age and making the teeth appear longer. [
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on dictionary.com


What does it mean to bend the truth?

: to say something that is not true or that misleads people but that is usually not regarded as a serious or harmful lie When he tells people he's from Manhattan he's bending the truth a little since he really grew up in Brooklyn.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on merriam-webster.com


What means coming clean?

to accept the truth or existence of (something) usually reluctantly. As evidence piled up she was forced to come clean about her criminal activity.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on merriam-webster.com


What grit teeth mean?

Definition of grit one's teeth

1 : to press or rub the teeth together He gritted his teeth in anger/pain. 2 : to show courage and determination when dealing with problems or challenges Starting your own business can be very tough, but you just have to grit your teeth and keep working at it.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on merriam-webster.com


Why do people say rare as hens teeth?

rare (or scarce) as hen's teeth

extremely rare. As hens do not possess teeth, the implication is that something is rare to the point of non-existence. The phrase was originally a US colloquialism, dating from the mid 19th century.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on idioms.thefreedictionary.com


What does go like stink mean?

Extremely fast, quickly, or rapidly. Her motorcycle is flashy and it goes like stink, but it feels like you're gambling with your life every time you get on it. See also: like, stink.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on idioms.thefreedictionary.com


What is the meaning of the idiom against the clock?

In a great hurry, as fast as possible, as in With her term paper due on Monday, she was racing against the clock to finish it, or They were working against time to stay on schedule.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on dictionary.com


What does it mean to be on the fiddle?

phrase [verb-link PHRASE] If someone is on the fiddle, they get money by doing illegal or dishonest things. [British, informal]
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on collinsdictionary.com


Are teeth alive?

It is a common misconception that teeth are not alive.

It is a fact that most of the parts which make up teeth are actually living cells. Similar to hair and fingernails there is a part on a tooth that is not alive – that part is called the “enamel”.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on streatfielddental.co.uk


Do teeth burn?

Although it is possible to damage your teeth with the sun, it's pretty unlikely that it will happen. In order to burn your teeth, you would need to open your mouth an smile at the sun for an extended period of time.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on lowrydental.com


What is the strongest bone in your body?

The femur is one of the most well-described bones of the human skeleton in fields ranging from clinical anatomy to forensic medicine. Because it is the longest and strongest bone in the human body, and thus, one of the most well-preserved in skeletal remains, it makes the greatest contribution to archaeology.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Previous question
How did Beth become seriously ill?
Next question
Can you grow garlic in Skyrim?