Winning English - Mastering Idioms, Slang, and References
Don't put words in my mouth • Took the words right out of my mouth • Word of mouth • Making your mouth water • To melt in your mouth
It’s just a fact of life that sometimes people disagree and argue, often over silly things.
Imagine you are in the checkout line at the grocery store. The person in front of you in line is arguing with the cashier, saying that a package of rice only costs two dollars, not three dollars.
You happen to be buying rice, as well, and know the price. You say, “I’m sorry to interrupt, but it is three dollars. I saw it.”
The other customer shouts at you, “You’re calling me a liar!”
“I am not!” you say, “I’m just saying your facts are not right! Don’t put words in my mouth! ”
You will find that there are many idioms associated with the mouth.
This one, “don’t put words in my mouth”, is often said when people disagree and are angry. When you say this, you are telling someone that your words have been misunderstood. You feel the other person is accusing you of saying something you did not.
I would not recommend using this saying at work. It’s considered both an insult and a challenge.
Unfortunately, the customer in front of you stays angry and then leaves the store without buying his groceries.
You say to the cashier, “Wow, he must be having a very bad day. Even so, what an idiot! He has no right to behave that way.”
The cashier says, “Thank you! You took the words right out of my mouth!”
When someone agrees very strongly with you, he or she could say, “You took the words right out of my mouth.”
This phrase can also literally mean that someone just said the exact words you were about to say.
In either case, it means you are both thinking the same way.
How do you hear about the latest and best TV shows, movies, or books? You might see some advertising. But I’m sure you often hear about them by word of mouth. Usually friends have good recommendations for you.
“By (or from) word of mouth” means that you have heard about something new from people you know, instead of from the media. TV producers often hope people will spread the news about their shows “word of mouth”. It can be more effective and less expensive than ads. For example, according to this article in Vanity Fair, a new Netflix series called The Queen’s Gambit is succeeding this way.
If you did have a stressful trip to the grocery recently, I hope you’re now preparing to relax a little, perhaps by watching a good TV show and maybe having a treat to eat. Maybe I’ll have some pumpkin pie. Just thinking about it is making my mouth water. It just melts in your mouth!
Sometimes when we think about tasty food, our mouths start producing saliva. Saliva is the liquid that’s always there in your mouth. When that happens, we say our “mouths are watering”.
“To melt in your mouth” is a way to compliment food. It means that the taste and texture are so good that the food is simply disappearing in your mouth in a delightful way.
Thanks for reading Winning English! Make sure to listen to the podcast, as well, to reinforce your learning. Talk soon!