# civil tongue

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/civil-tongue
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A polite manner of speaking.

## Examples

- Please keep a civil tongue when you talk to your sister.
- Even though he was angry about the mistake, he kept a civil tongue during the meeting to remain professional.
- Despite the intense provocation from his opponent, the diplomat maintained a civil tongue, refusing to descend into the petty insults that defined the rest of the debate.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.