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Idioms on teeth add a quirky touch to the English language, often using dental references to convey deeper meanings about people and situations. For instance, one of the most well-known idioms is “to be all bark and no bite” which describes someone who talks tough but doesn’t follow through with action. Today, we’ll look into some of the most common idioms about teeth in English grammar. In this blog, we explore some of the most common idioms related to teeth, breaking down their meanings in simple words
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Must Read: 500+ Most Commonly Used Idioms in English
Top 5 Idioms on Teeth
Let’s explore the top 5 idioms related to teeth, and their meaning in a way that’s easy to understand. Refer to the below table:
| Idioms on Teeth | Meaning |
| Lying Through Your Teeth | It signifies telling a lie that is very obvious, often done without any shame or hesitation. |
| Like Pulling Teeth | It means something very difficult, unpleasant, or requiring a lot of effort to do. |
| Fight Tooth and Nail | It means to fight fiercely or with great determination, not holding back anything. |
| Bare one’s Teeth | It is to show anger or hostility, especially through aggressive actions or words. |
Also Read: 7 Idioms for Health That You Should Know [with Example]
Teeth Idioms with Meaning and Examples
Understanding these idioms on teeth allows us to appreciate the richness of language and the innovative ways in which people can express themselves. Let’s have a look at the below idioms, and explain their meanings. Here are a few of the idioms with meaning and examples which students can refer to.
To Sink one’s Teeth Into
Meaning: To sink one’s teeth into means to start doing something with a lot of energy and interest.
Example: After retiring, Tom finally had time to sink his teeth into his hobby of woodworking.
Long In The Tooth
Meaning: Long in the tooth indicates someone or something is getting old. It comes from the idea that horses’ teeth grow longer as they age.
Example: Grandpa is getting a bit long in the tooth long in the tooth, but he still loves to go for long walks every morning.
Tooth And Nail
Meaning: Tooth and nail represents fighting or working as hard as possible to achieve something.
Example: Sarah fought tooth and nail to get the promotion at work, putting in extra hours and taking on challenging projects.
Cut Your Teeth On
Meaning: Cut your teeth suggests gaining initial experience or learning the basics of something by doing it. It often refers to starting in a particular job or activity where you develop your skills.
Example: He cut her teeth on small local newspapers before becoming a reporter for a national news agency.
Armed to the Teeth
Meaning: Armed to the teeth indicates being well-prepared or heavily equipped, especially with weapons or tools.
Example: The police were armed to the teeth, ready to handle any trouble that might come up during the protest.
Kick In the Teeth
Meaning: Kick in the teeth indicates experiencing a disappointing or unfair event, especially when expecting something good.
Example: After working hard all year, not getting the promotion was a real kick in the teeth.
Also Read: Sweet Tooth Idiom Meaning, Examples, Synonyms
Tooth for a Tooth
Meaning: Tooth for a tooth suggests that if someone does something wrong to you, you should do the same thing back to them.
Example: If someone steals your bike, and you steal theirs in return, that’s a tooth for a tooth.
Read related blogs on Idioms and Proverbs
FAQs
It signifies narrowly or barely succeeding in something. For example, “He narrowly escaped from the secret police.” This idiom is used to describe situations where success is achieved with very little margin.
It means to display hostility or aggression, often by showing anger or becoming threatening. Despite her usual friendliness, she unexpectedly began to show her teeth.”
When you describe someone as ‘long in the tooth,’ it humorously implies that they are old or ageing. It’s often used informally and can carry a slight tone of disapproval.
This was all about the “Idioms on teeth.” You can also follow the Learn English page of Leverage Edu for more exciting and informative blogs related to English grammar and the English language.
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