ENGLISH
REFERENCE

lay one's tongue to

idiom
Meaning

To say; to name; to think of to say.


Examples
SIMPLE

I cannot lay my tongue to the name of that song.

CONTEXTUAL

She knew the answer perfectly well, but she could not lay her tongue to the right words during the presentation.

COMPLEX

Although the memory of the event remained vivid in his mind, he found he could not lay his tongue to a single phrase that might adequately describe the tragedy.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    abound in one's own sense

    To follow one’s own inclinations and opinions.

  2. 02

    ace up one's sleeve

    A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.

  3. 03

    act one's age

    To behave in a manner appropriate to one's age.

  4. 04

    act one's age, not one's shoe size

    Synonym of act one's age (“to behave in a mature manner; to avoid being childish”).

  5. 05

    afraid of one's own shadow

    Exceptionally timid.

  6. 06

    air one's dirty laundry in public

    To reveal one's sordid secrets to the public.

  7. 07

    air one's dirty linen in public

    Synonym of air one's dirty laundry in public.

  8. 08

    albatross around one's neck

    A characteristic, possession, associate, or previous deed that hinders one's ability to succeed.

© 2026 English Reference