Tongue In Cheek

B2 8+

Pronunciation: /tʌŋ ɪn tʃik/

Definitions of tongue in cheek

noun a muscle in the mouth that is used for tasting and swallowing food, as well as for speech

Example Sentences

A1 I didn't realize he was joking until he explained that his comment was tongue in cheek.

A2 She often makes tongue in cheek remarks that can be misinterpreted by others.

B1 The comedian's tongue in cheek humor always keeps the audience entertained.

B2 Her tongue in cheek criticism of the government was met with mixed reactions.

C1 The author's use of tongue in cheek satire adds depth to the novel's social commentary.

C2 His tongue in cheek attitude towards life often masks his true feelings.

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

Example Sentences

A1 She told him to clean his room, but it was clear she was speaking tongue in cheek.

A2 The teacher's warning about the test being easy was obviously tongue in cheek.

B1 The politician's promises seemed to be made tongue in cheek, as they were too good to be true.

B2 The comedian's jokes were delivered with a tongue in cheek attitude, making them even funnier.

C1 His compliments were always tongue in cheek, leaving people unsure of his true intentions.

C2 The author's sarcastic tone throughout the book was a clear example of writing tongue in cheek.

Examples of tongue in cheek in a Sentence

formal The speaker made a tongue-in-cheek remark during the conference.

informal She always has a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor that makes everyone laugh.

slang His tongue-in-cheek comment had us all in stitches.

figurative The artist's use of tongue-in-cheek imagery added a playful element to the painting.

Grammatical Forms of tongue in cheek

past tense

tongued in cheek

plural

tongues in cheeks

comparative

more tongue in cheek

superlative

most tongue in cheek

present tense

tongue in cheek

future tense

will tongue in cheek

perfect tense

have tongued in cheek

continuous tense

is tonguing in cheek

singular

tongue in cheek

positive degree

very tongue in cheek

infinitive

to tongue in cheek

gerund

tonguing in cheek

participle

tongued in cheek

Origin and Evolution of tongue in cheek

First Known Use: 1845 year
Language of Origin: English
Story behind the word: The phrase 'tongue in cheek' is believed to have originated from the practice of biting one's tongue while speaking to suppress laughter or sarcasm.
Evolution of the word: Originally used to describe a facial expression, the phrase evolved to represent a style of humor or statement that is not meant to be taken seriously.