forked tongue
The term "forked tongue" can refer to the physical characteristic of certain reptiles or describe deceitful speech.
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Definition
B2Biology
(technical)A tongue that is split into two distinct parts at the tip, found in some reptiles like snakes and lizards.
Example
- Snakes use their forked tongue to detect chemical signals in their environment.
C1Idiomatic Expression
(idiomatic, informal)To speak in a deceitful or dishonest manner, saying one thing but meaning another.
Example
- Politicians are often accused of speaking with a forked tongue when they make promises they don't intend to keep.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "forked tongue":
lamb's tonguecloven hoofcat's tongueflamingo tonguegive tongueadder's tongue