lie through one's teeth
Meaning: To lie openly and shamelessly.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “He was lying through his teeth when he said the car had never been in an accident.”
Category: Body & Senses
Origin: The liar speaks straight through a smile of clenched teeth. The phrase is found from the early 20th century; its first use has not been traced.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: Mentir comme un arracheur de dents — literally: To lie like a tooth-puller
More idioms — Body & Senses
- put one's feet up — To relax and rest.
- fall into someone's lap — To come to someone without any effort.
- fire in the belly — Strong ambition and drive.
- breathe down someone's neck — To watch someone too closely, or to be close behind them.
- elbow grease — Hard physical work, especially scrubbing or polishing.
- have a heavy heart — To feel sad or burdened.
More English idioms
- slow on the uptake — Slow to understand.
- kiss something goodbye — To accept that one has lost something or will never get it.
- set one's sights on — To decide to try to get or achieve something.
- God forbid — Used to say that one hopes something bad will not happen.
- kill them all and let God sort them out — A grim or joking call to act ruthlessly without distinguishing innocent from guilty.
- a little bird told me — I learned it from a secret source I won't name.
From our compliments & insults
- Você é um amor — You're a sweetheart — warm, caring, and impossible not to like.
- Você tem muita garra — You have fierce, relentless determination — you claw your way through any obstacle.
- Ты умница (ty umnitsa) — You're bright, clever, and admirable — said warmly of someone who handles things well.