Teeth help us chew food and smile at our friends. But did you know people also use teeth in sayings? These sayings are called idioms. They don’t mean exactly what the words say. Instead, they have a special meaning. People use them to talk about feelings or ideas in a fun way.
Some idioms about teeth might sound a little silly at first. But when we learn what they mean, they start to make sense. These sayings can help us understand how others feel. They can also help us share our own thoughts. Let’s take a look at some tooth idioms and learn what they really mean.
Idioms about Teeth
1. By the skin of your teeth
Meaning: You almost didn’t make it, but you did.
To Provide an Example: I got on the school bus by the skin of my teeth. / He passed the spelling test by the skin of his teeth.
Alternative Meaning: Just barely making it. / Almost missing something, but not quite.
2. Long in the tooth
Meaning: Someone or something is getting old.
To Provide an Example: That computer is getting long in the tooth. / My dog is long in the tooth but still playful.
Alternative Meaning: Not new anymore. / Has been around for a while.
3. Bite your tongue
Meaning: Stop yourself from saying something.
To Provide an Example: I had to bite my tongue when I wanted to complain. / She bit her tongue and didn’t tell her brother he was wrong.
Alternative Meaning: Keep quiet. / Don’t say something even if you want to.
4. Armed to the teeth
Meaning: Having everything you need, or too much.
To Provide an Example: He came to the snowball fight armed to the teeth. / We packed our car armed to the teeth for the beach trip.
Alternative Meaning: Very prepared. / Carrying too much stuff.
5. Sink your teeth into
Meaning: Start something with lots of interest and energy.
To Provide an Example: She sank her teeth into the art project. / I can’t wait to sink my teeth into the new game.
Alternative Meaning: Get very into something. / Work hard on something fun or exciting.
6. Cut your teeth on
Meaning: Do something for the first time to learn.
To Provide an Example: I cut my teeth on helping Mom cook dinner. / He cut his teeth on building small Lego sets.
Alternative Meaning: Start learning. / Get early practice.
7. Show your teeth
Meaning: Act strong or stand up for yourself.
To Provide an Example: She showed her teeth when the bully was mean. / The dog showed his teeth when someone got too close.
Alternative Meaning: Be brave. / Defend yourself.
8. Get your teeth into
Meaning: Focus on something and try hard.
To Provide an Example: He got his teeth into the big puzzle. / I got my teeth into reading a new book.
Alternative Meaning: Try something with energy. / Work hard on a task.
9. Fight tooth and nail
Meaning: Try very hard to win or keep something.
To Provide an Example: The team fought tooth and nail to win the game. / I fought tooth and nail to get my toy back.
Alternative Meaning: Try your best. / Don’t give up easily.
10. Sweet tooth
Meaning: You really like candy or sweet food.
To Provide an Example: I have a sweet tooth for cookies. / He always wants dessert because of his sweet tooth.
Alternative Meaning: Love sugary snacks. / Want sweet treats often.
11. Set your teeth on edge
Meaning: Something feels or sounds annoying.
To Provide an Example: The loud noise set my teeth on edge. / Scratching the chalkboard sets my teeth on edge.
Alternative Meaning: Makes you feel weird. / Something that bothers you.
12. Toothy grin
Meaning: A big smile that shows your teeth.
To Provide an Example: He gave a toothy grin when he saw the cake. / She had a toothy grin in her school photo.
Alternative Meaning: A happy, big smile. / Smiling with all your teeth.
13. Kick in the teeth
Meaning: Something that makes you feel bad or upset.
To Provide an Example: Losing my toy was a kick in the teeth. / It was a kick in the teeth when we missed the fair.
Alternative Meaning: Something unfair. / Feeling let down.
14. Have teeth
Meaning: It has power or strength.
To Provide an Example: The new rule has teeth, so we all listen. / That law has teeth it really works.
Alternative Meaning: Strong or important. / Can make a big change.
15. Grit your teeth
Meaning: Be brave and keep going even if it’s hard.
To Provide an Example: I gritted my teeth during the dentist visit. / He gritted his teeth and finished the race.
Alternative Meaning: Be tough. / Don’t give up.
16. Get your teeth into something
Meaning: Start something new with excitement.
To Provide an Example: She got her teeth into painting a big picture. / He got his teeth into the science project.
Alternative Meaning: Try something exciting. / Focus hard on a task.
17. Like pulling teeth
Meaning: Very hard to do or get done.
To Provide an Example: Getting him to clean his room is like pulling teeth. / It was like pulling teeth to get my sister to share.
Alternative Meaning: Not easy. / Takes a lot of work.
18. Show your fangs
Meaning: Act angry or mean.
To Provide an Example: He showed his fangs when he didn’t get his way. / She showed her fangs when someone messed with her lunch.
Alternative Meaning: Be tough or mean. / Show anger.
19. Baby teeth
Meaning: First teeth that fall out when kids grow up.
To Provide an Example: I lost my baby teeth when I was six. / The Tooth Fairy came when my baby teeth fell out.
Alternative Meaning: First teeth in kids. / Teeth that don’t last forever.
20. Cut teeth
Meaning: A baby’s teeth are starting to come in.
To Provide an Example: My baby brother is cutting teeth and cries a lot. / Puppies cut teeth too and chew everything.
Alternative Meaning: First teeth growing in. / Starting to get teeth.
21. Lie through your teeth
Meaning: Tell a lie, even when it’s clear.
To Provide an Example: He lied through his teeth about eating the cookies. / She lied through her teeth and said she didn’t break the toy.
Alternative Meaning: Tell a big lie. / Not telling the truth at all.
22. Pay through the teeth
Meaning: Spend too much money.
To Provide an Example: We paid through the teeth for that toy. / They paid through the teeth for movie tickets.
Alternative Meaning: Very expensive. / Cost too much.
23. Knocked their teeth out
Meaning: Beat someone in a game or contest.
To Provide an Example: Our team knocked their teeth out in the soccer game. / We knocked their teeth out during the spelling bee.
Alternative Meaning: Win easily. / Do much better than others.
24. Get your teeth kicked in
Meaning: Lose badly or get treated badly.
To Provide an Example: We got our teeth kicked in during the game. / He got his teeth kicked in when he didn’t study.
Alternative Meaning: Lost big. / Had a really hard time.
25. Bare your teeth
Meaning: Show you’re ready to fight or stand up.
To Provide an Example: The dog bared his teeth at the stranger. / She bared her teeth when her friend was in trouble.
Alternative Meaning: Look ready to fight. / Show anger or strength.
26. Be all teeth
Meaning: Smile too much or awkwardly.
To Provide an Example: He was all teeth in the class photo. / She was all teeth when she met the mayor.
Alternative Meaning: Smiling too much. / Nervous or silly smile.
27. Be on your last tooth
Meaning: Very tired or worn out.
To Provide an Example: I was on my last tooth after playing all day. / Mom was on her last tooth after work.
Alternative Meaning: Super tired. / Worn out.
28. A kick in the teeth
Meaning: A big surprise that’s not good.
To Provide an Example: Not having recess was a kick in the teeth. / It was a kick in the teeth when the game got canceled.
Alternative Meaning: A bad surprise. / Something upsetting.
29. To be toothless
Meaning: Not strong or not able to do anything.
To Provide an Example: The new rule was toothless nobody listened. / That robot was toothless and didn’t even move.
Alternative Meaning: Weak. / Not useful.
30. As rare as hen’s teeth
Meaning: Very hard to find.
To Provide an Example: Snow in Florida is as rare as hen’s teeth. / Seeing a rainbow at night is as rare as hen’s teeth.
Alternative Meaning: Doesn’t happen much. / Very uncommon.
31. Get your teeth knocked out
Meaning: Lose or fail badly.
To Provide an Example: We got our teeth knocked out in dodgeball. / I got my teeth knocked out in the video game.
Alternative Meaning: Lose big. / Do very badly.
32. All bark and no teeth
Meaning: Talks big but doesn’t do much.
To Provide an Example: He says he’ll win, but he’s all bark and no teeth. / The dog barked a lot but was all bark and no teeth.
Alternative Meaning: Loud but not strong. / Doesn’t follow through.
33. Cut your wisdom teeth
Meaning: Grow up or learn something important.
To Provide an Example: I cut my wisdom teeth when I learned to ride a bike. / He cut his wisdom teeth helping his little sister.
Alternative Meaning: Grow up. / Learn through experience.
34. To be tooth and nail
Meaning: To fight or work very hard.
To Provide an Example: She worked tooth and nail on her school project. / They fought tooth and nail to save their team.
Alternative Meaning: Try really hard. / Put in strong effort.
35. Show teeth
Meaning: Show you are serious or tough.
To Provide an Example: She showed teeth during the class debate. / He showed teeth when no one listened to him.
Alternative Meaning: Be strong. / Stand up.
36. Gnash your teeth
Meaning: Be very upset or mad.
To Provide an Example: He gnashed his teeth when he lost his toy. / She gnashed her teeth after her team lost.
Alternative Meaning: Show you’re angry. / Get upset.
37. Teeth-chattering
Meaning: Very cold or scared.
To Provide an Example: I was teeth-chattering cold at the bus stop. / She was teeth-chattering scared during the storm.
Alternative Meaning: Shivering. / Really cold or nervous.
38. Like teeth on a zipper
Meaning: Perfectly lined up or working together.
To Provide an Example: The team worked like teeth on a zipper. / Our puzzle pieces fit like teeth on a zipper.
Alternative Meaning: Fits just right. / Works perfectly.
39. Sink teeth into learning
Meaning: Focus on learning something new.
To Provide an Example: I sank my teeth into reading about animals. / She sank her teeth into learning to write better.
Alternative Meaning: Get excited to learn. / Focus and enjoy learning.
40. Bite off more than you can chew
Meaning: Try to do too much at once.
To Provide an Example: I bit off more than I could chew with five chores. / He bit off more than he could chew by joining every club.
Alternative Meaning: Do too much. / Take on a big job.
41. Make your teeth hurt
Meaning: Something is too sweet or too fake.
To Provide an Example: That song was so sugary, it made my teeth hurt. / Her fake laugh made my teeth hurt.
Alternative Meaning: Too sweet. / Sounds fake or silly.
42. Grin and bear it
Meaning: Smile even when something is hard.
To Provide an Example: I had to grin and bear it when I lost. / She grinned and bore it during the long car ride.
Alternative Meaning: Stay calm. / Deal with it quietly.
43. Have a good set of teeth
Meaning: Be strong or healthy.
To Provide an Example: My grandpa still has a good set of teeth! / That robot has a good set of teeth it’s powerful.
Alternative Meaning: Strong or tough. / In good shape.
44. Smile from ear to ear
Meaning: Very happy.
To Provide an Example: I smiled from ear to ear when I got ice cream. / She smiled from ear to ear after winning.
Alternative Meaning: Very happy. / Huge smile.
45. Have no bite
Meaning: Not scary or not strong.
To Provide an Example: That little dog has no bite. / The new rules have no bite.
Alternative Meaning: Not tough. / Weak or soft.
46. Snap at someone
Meaning: Speak quickly in anger.
To Provide an Example: I snapped at my brother when I was mad. / She snapped at her friend after a long day.
Alternative Meaning: Speak sharply. / Get upset fast.
47. Brace yourself
Meaning: Get ready for something hard or big.
To Provide an Example: I braced myself for the cold water. / He braced himself before jumping off the swing.
Alternative Meaning: Get ready. / Prepare yourself.
48. Tooth fairy
Meaning: A pretend fairy who brings money for teeth.
To Provide an Example: I left my tooth for the Tooth Fairy. / The Tooth Fairy brought me a dollar!
Alternative Meaning: A fun tradition. / Magical visitor.
49. Make your teeth grind
Meaning: Something makes you really mad.
To Provide an Example: His loud chewing makes my teeth grind. / I grind my teeth when people cut in line.
Alternative Meaning: Get mad. / Feel annoyed.
50. To be all teeth and no bite
Meaning: Someone who talks tough but isn’t.
To Provide an Example: He yells a lot, but he’s all teeth and no bite. / That dog barks loud but doesn’t bite.
Alternative Meaning: Acts scary, but isn’t. / All talk.
Trials for Success: Idioms about Teeth
- I ran to catch the bus and made it just ______.
- My grandpa’s phone is really old and kind of ______.
- I wanted to complain, but I had to ______.
- For the snowball fight, we were ready and ______.
- I was excited to ______ my science project.
- I helped Mom cook and ______ in the kitchen.
- When the boy was being mean, my sister ______ to stand up for me.
- My little brother has a ______ and always wants candy.
- Getting my friend to clean her room was like ______.
- We fought ______ to win the tug-of-war.
- That loud squeaky sound really ______.
- We were shivering at recess it was a ______ kind of day.
- She was so happy, she smiled ______.
- I was tired from soccer practice and felt like I was on my ______.
- When I told a lie about the broken toy, I knew I was ______.
Answer Key
- by the skin of my teeth
- long in the tooth
- bite my tongue
- armed to the teeth
- sink my teeth into
- cut my teeth
- showed her teeth
- sweet tooth
- pulling teeth
- tooth and nail
- set my teeth on edge
- teeth-chattering
- from ear to ear
- last tooth
- lying through my teeth
Conclusion
Idioms about teeth are fun and interesting. They help us talk about big ideas in a simple way.
Now you know that “by the skin of your teeth” means just barely, and “sweet tooth” means you love candy. These sayings are part of how people speak every day. You might even hear them at school or at home.
Learning these idioms can help you understand others better. You can also use them in your own talking and writing. Try one today and see who notices.
