watch one's mouth

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

watch one's mouth

1. (idiomatic, US) To be careful about what one says, especially with regard to disrespectful or profane language.
2. (idiomatic, chiefly US) In the imperative form, used as a warning to avoid or stop using inappropriate language, especially profanity, or disrespectful utterances.

Quotations

• 1995, "WATCH YOUR MOUTH," Time, 21 Dec:

  Daniel Spiegel, ambassador to U.N. offices in Geneva, won't be using his international platform as a political pulpit anymore.

• 2006, "Watch your mouth!," MSNBC.com / Associated Press, 29 Mar:

  Americans see profanity getting worse, poll finds.

• 2007, Dean Beeby, "Watch your mouth—'Hi, Jack' could mean 'hijack'," hfxnews.ca, The Daily News / Canadian Press, 11 July, Halifax (Canada):

  Airport security agency gives officers wiggle room on 'bomb jokes' problem.

Synonyms

• watch one's language
• watch one's tongue

Translations

watch one's mouth

• German: aufpassen, was man sagt (literally “to watch what one says”); nicht in diesem Ton reden (literally “not to talk in this tone”); (formal) auf seine Ausdrucksweise achten (literally “to mind one's diction”)
• Italian: fare attenzione a quello che si dice, cucirsi la bocca
• Portuguese: prestar atenção ao que diz
• Russian: следи́ть за языко́м (sledítʹ za jazykóm), следи́ть за база́ром (sledítʹ za bazárom) (criminal connotation, vulgar)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Spanish: cuida tu boca