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Tongue-in-cheek
Definitions
- 1 Not intended seriously; jocular or humorous. idiomatic
"He gave a tongue-in-cheek explanation of why the sky was blue, offering a theory about some primordial discount on light blue paint."
- 1 cleverly amusing in tone wordnet
- 1 With contempt. not-comparable, obsolete
- 2 With irony. not-comparable
"He portrayed them tongue-in-cheek as great lawgivers, as Solons."
- 1 not seriously wordnet
- 2 in a bantering fashion wordnet
Etymology
This phrase alludes to the facial expression created by putting one's tongue in one's cheek. The term first appeared in print in 1828, but it isn't entirely clear that it was used with the modern, rather than a literal, sense. A later citation from Richard Barham is unambiguous.
This phrase alludes to the facial expression created by putting one's tongue in one's cheek. The term first appeared in print in 1828, but it isn't entirely clear that it was used with the modern, rather than a literal, sense. A later citation from Richard Barham is unambiguous.
See also for "tongue-in-cheek"
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