Tongue in cheek

Meaning

The idiom "tongue in cheek" means to say or do something in a way that is the opposite of what you really mean, often as a way of teasing or making fun of someone. It can also refer to saying something in a manner that is sarcastic or ironic. The phrase may be shortened to "in cheek," meaning the same thing but with less emphasis on the tongue.

Usage

• "I told my wife I was going to buy her a diamond, in cheek of course." - This sentence suggests that the speaker plans to tell his wife he will buy her a diamond, but he is not serious about it and is only teasing her.
• "When my friend asked me to come to the beach with her and her dog, I couldn't help but roll my eyes in cheek." - This sentence suggests that the speaker is sarcastically saying yes to the invitation despite disliking dogs.
• "The comedian made a joke about my job, in cheek of course, but it actually made me laugh." - This sentence suggests that the comedian's joke was sarcastic and meant to tease the speaker's job, but it was still funny.
• "My coworker suggested we go out for lunch, in cheek he knows I can't afford it." - This sentence suggests that the speaker is saying yes to their coworker's suggestion of going out for lunch despite knowing they cannot afford it, and is only teasing them.
• "The politician's speech was full of promises, in cheek he knew he could never keep them all." - This sentence suggests that the politician's speech was filled with promises they knew they could not keep, and they were only saying them to please their audience and appear trustworthy.

Roots and History

The idiom "tongue in cheek" first appeared in print in 1597 in William Shakespeare's play "Much Ado About Nothing." It was used to describe a character who was sarcastically agreeing with someone else. The phrase may have originated from the idea of speaking in such a way that your tongue is almost in your cheek, as if you are barely able to control your sarcasm or irony.

Synonyms in English

• Jokingly
• Ironically
• Sarcastically
• Facetiously
• Dramatically

Synonyms in other languages

• English: Jokingly, Ironically, Sarcastically, Facetiously, Dramatically
• Spanish: Sarcásticamente
• French: Ironiquement
• German: Ironisch
• Italian: Sardonico

Similar Idioms

• stiff upper lip

• from the bottom of my heart

• burn fingers