lie ill in one's mouth
To sound artificial or contradictory.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“That compliment lies ill in your mouth.”
“When he praised the company's ethics after stealing money, his words lay ill in his mouth.”
“The politician's sudden appeal to the working class lay ill in his mouth, given his long history of supporting policies that harmed them.”
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abound in one's own sense
To follow one’s own inclinations and opinions.
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ace up one's sleeve
A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.
- 03
act one's age
To behave in a manner appropriate to one's age.
- 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”).
- 05
afraid of one's own shadow
Exceptionally timid.
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air one's dirty laundry in public
To reveal one's sordid secrets to the public.
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air one's dirty linen in public
Synonym of air one's dirty laundry in public.
- 08
albatross around one's neck
A characteristic, possession, associate, or previous deed that hinders one's ability to succeed.
Last updated August 10, 2026