Phraseological units with the word "tooth": examples, meaning

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:55

In the Russian language there are many well-established phrases, the so-called phraseological units, which we use almost every day. These are phrases that, as a rule, have a figurative meaning.

And in this article we will consider what phraseological units with the word "tooth" people use in their speech. Such phrases can be counted at least a dozen. All of them are different in meaning and are often found in the lexicon.

Teeth to speak

This idiom is used very often and means that the person towards whom this phrase is spoken is trying to move on to another topic, distracting his interlocutor from the main issue or the essence of the conversation.

And this expression comes from ancient times, and the story of its appearance is very simple: healers whispered various words into the ear of a person who came with a toothache, trying to distract, “talk” a toothache.

For example, these expressions will reveal the essence of the phrase:

"Don't talk to me here"

"I don't need to speak my teeth, speak to the point."

Tootheat

This idiom is perhaps better known in the form of “to sharpen a tooth”, but their meaning is the same. This means hatching a plan of revenge for something, harboring anger, personal hostility. As an example, consider the following sentence with the word "teeth":

"He's got a grudge against her for letting him down."

"Ever since then, I have a grudge against one of our classmates."

Teeth on fire

This expression is used when you need to say that a person has a great desire for something, he really wanted to get something.

"When I saw this dress, my teeth were on fire."

"The dish looked so appetizing that my eyes and teeth were on fire."

Know something by heart

Another idiom that came to us from past centuries. If a person uses this phrase, it means that he knows any topic or question thoroughly, by heart, so that there is nothing to complain about.

The origin of this phrase goes back to the custom of checking a coin for authenticity with the teeth. Previously, to check if a coin was gold, it could be slightly squeezed with teeth. And if the bite mark remained on it, then the coin is real.

I did well for my exam today! I know the tickets by heart.”

Teeth on the shelf

This idiom also came from ancient times. Today, some mistakenly believe that we are talking about human teeth, and here's why. The essence of this phrase is to live from hand to mouth when there is nothing to eat or there are not enough resources for existence. This expression is very famous today. But “on the shelf” in this case, they put not their teeth, but the teeth of various field tools - rakes, saws, because when they are not needed (out of season, no harvest), their teeth were put on the shelf.

"If we buy a new refrigerator now, all we have to do is put our teeth on the shelf."

"No money, even put your teeth on the shelf."

Missing a tooth

So they say about a person if he is very cold or very scared, trembling.

Such idioms with the word "tooth" are also easy to hear in everyday life. This expression does not cause confusion, since the phrase itself describes its essence, there is no figurative meaning. For example:

Let's go to the house soon! It's so cold that I can't get my teeth on my teeth.”

Eat your teeth

The expression “ate teeth” is similar in meaning to the more well-known phraseological unit “eat a dog”. These phraseological units with the word "tooth" mean that a person has gained experience, gained skills in working with something, gained solid knowledge in some matter.

Also, the expression "ate teeth" is used to indicate great experience in some business.

"Yes, I ate all my teeth on these tasks."

"I can't be outwitted in this case, I ate my teeth on it."

Tit for a tat

Everyone knows such a biblical expression as "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." This expression had a literal meaning. In the laws for the Jews, God introduced such a rule that if anyone decides to inflict bodily harmto his neighbor, then the same thing should return to him: "a fracture for a fracture, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." Of course, this is contrary to the norms of Christian morality, since revenge is condemned by the Bible. But at the moment we are talking about a phraseological unit, or rather, about its last part, which describes the essence of the phrase as clearly as the expression as a whole.

As it becomes clear, the expression describes revenge, just retribution, that is, an equivalent response to moral or bodily harm to a person.

As you did to me, so shall I. Tooth for tooth.”

You can't pull out with your teeth

This phraseological unit is used both to describe the properties of objects and people. Its designation is the same: it means that it is hard to get, something is firmly held or hard to reach.

If we are talking about an object, then the expression is applied in this way:

"The nail is firmly stuck in the board - you can't pull it out with your teeth."

And if we talk about a person, it is used in a figurative sense (an example is given from a literary work):

“I’m giving you this guest for a while. If they capture him with kurkuli, you won’t tear them out with your teeth. And I can always take it from you.”

Too tough

Everyone knows the phrase. We use it when we want to say that a particular task is beyond our power. It doesn't matter if you don't have enough experience, knowledge or physical strength, the essence remains the same.

"Oh, this mountain is too tough for me."

"No matter how much I tried to resolve this situation, it's too tough for me."

Modernphraseological units

There are also phraseological units with the word "tooth", which appeared not so long ago, but are also widely used and known to many.

Such well-established expressions, for example, include the phrase "not in the tooth with a foot." So they say when they want to declare ignorance or misunderstanding of what is happening or the essence of some issue.

"I'm in the middle of this molecular physics."

- What happened here?

- I'm kicking ass.”

Another idiom came to us from the criminal lexicon - "I give a tooth." This expression means that a person will not lie and in any case will keep his promise. Its second meaning is self-righteousness, similar in meaning to the expressions “how to give a drink” or “clear as broad daylight.”

"As I said, so be it, I give a tooth."

This expression comes from the fact that in the conclusion the person had nothing of value that could be vouched for by the promise. Therefore, to confirm his intentions, the man promised to knock out his tooth if he breaks his word.

Conclusion

In the article idioms with the word "teeth" and their meaning were given. As you can see, there are quite a few of them, and they all have different meanings. Nevertheless, all these expressions are widely used in literature and in everyday life.