wash one's mouth out
English
Alternative forms
- wash out one's mouth
Verb
wash one's mouth out (third-person singular simple present washes one's mouth out, present participle washing one's mouth out, simple past and past participle washed one's mouth out)
- (literally) To force a cleansing substance, usually soap, into someone's mouth; traditionally a punishment for use of foul language or lying by children.
- (often imperative, figuratively, reflexive) In the wider world, to suppress one's speech, often in fear of punishment from those with greater authority.
- 1970, Alline Bullock (lyrics), “Funkier Than a Mosquito's Tweeter”, in Workin’ Together, performed by Ike & Tina Turner:
- Wash out your mouth, your lies are gettin' rusty
- 1999 November 19, “A pother of pedants”, in The Guardian:
- Some Tory MPs think the Queen needs to wash her mouth out.
- 2011 March 23, “James Cameron Shines like a star”, in The Guardian, retrieved 2021-11-12:
- But anybody who says Cameron was hedging his bets better had wash their mouth out; this was nothing more than the kind of away day where only the top names rock up.
-
Related terms
- mouthsoap
Translations
literal use
|