Cat got your tongue is usually expressed as a question to someone who is being unusually quiet or refusing to speak, as in “Has the cat got your tongue?”
The expression “cat got your tongue” is often used on children who are shy or who are being suspiciously silent, such as after they have done something wrong and do not want to admit to it. The full form is “Has the cat got your tongue” but it is often shortened to “Cat got your tongue?” This is simply an inducement to speak. When spoken to adults, it is sometimes humorous and at other times rude.
Origin of Cat Got Your Tongue
This quite odd idiom has been around since the 1500s but its origin is unknown, despite many theories. One claim is that the expression came from a Middle Eastern punishment for lying, in which the liar’s tongue was cut out and given to cats to eat. Another is that it has to do with the whip called the cat o’nine tails, which was used to flog sailors, who, because of fear of this punishment, would refuse to speak any secrets they may have known.
Sentence Examples
“I know you broke the vase,” said Mom to Billy. “Don’t you have anything to say? Has the cat got your tongue?”
“Well, aren’t you quiet today, Jane. What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?”
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Similar and Related Phrases and Terms
- Tongue-Tied: Being unable to speak properly or easily because of shyness, surprise, or nervousness.
- Zip Your Lips / Button Your Lip: Informal commands telling someone to stop talking immediately or to keep a secret.
- Keep Your Lips Sealed: Promising or ordering someone to remain completely silent and not reveal confidential information.
- Keep It Under Wraps: To keep something secret, private, or hidden from public knowledge until the right time.
- Mum’s the Word: An agreement or reminder to remain silent and not say anything about a secret.
- Speechless: Being so shocked, overwhelmed, or surprised that you cannot find any words to say.
- At a Loss for Words: Being temporarily unable to think of anything to say due to astonishment, grief, or confusion.
- Not a Peep: Not making even the slightest sound, word, or complaint.
- Put a Sock In It / Put a Cork In It: A rude or blunt command telling someone to shut up and stop making noise.