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Dar com a língua nos dentes

Portuguese

Meaning

To spill the beans / To let the cat out of the bag

Example

Pedi para não contar nada, mas ela deu com a língua nos dentes e todo mundo ficou sabendo.

I asked her not to say anything, but she spilled the beans and everyone found out.

Origin

The expression dar com a língua nos dentes ("to strike the tongue against the teeth") paints the very act of speaking: to form words the tongue beats against the teeth. It pictures a mouth that runs on without restraint, letting slip what should have stayed quiet — hence "to give away a secret".