What it means
Means you suddenly can’t get your words out, or they come out in a hopeless jumble, usually because you’re nervous, embarrassed, or chatting to someone you fancy. It’s not literal, just the idea your tongue feels tied in knots. You’ll see it as tongue-tied or tongue tied, and it works for everything from interviews to awkward apologies.
Usage examples
"In the interview I went totally tongue-tied when they asked about my last job, just sat there umming, then blurted out something about spreadsheets and cats."
"She finally cornered him at the leaving do to say what she had been rehearsing for weeks, then went completely tongue-tied, smiled, and asked if he liked the cheese board instead."
"Got tongue-tied at the wedding speech, three jokes in I forgot the punchline and started thanking the catering staff individually, including the lad who was just there for the music."
"I was fine all morning, then her dad opened the door and I got proper tongue-tied, just stood there holding the flowers like a confused valet."
"He went all tongue-tied asking for a pay rise and somehow ended up complimenting the office printer instead."
Where it comes from
Recorded in English from the early 1500s, tongue-tied first referred to a literal physical restriction of the tongue, what we'd now call ankyloglossia. By the late 16th century it had stretched into the figurative sense of being unable to speak properly from nerves, embarrassment, or strong emotion, and that meaning stuck fast in everyday English.
