# lie ill in one's mouth

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/lie-ill-in-ones-mouth
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To sound artificial or contradictory.

## Examples

- 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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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.