Meaning of the rough side of one's tongue | Babel Free

Definitions

Angry words, harsh criticism.

uncountable

Examples

“But let them, if they plague thee long, Once feel the rough side of thy tongue:”

“1876, Robert Louis Stevenson, “Charles of Orleans,” Chapter 4, in Familiar Studies of Men and Books, 1882, […] Louis was then in no humour to hear Charles’s texts and Latin sentiments; he had his back to the wall, the future of France was at stake; and if all the old men in the world had crossed his path, they would have had the rough side of his tongue like Charles of Orleans.”

“[…] let us not be moved by the rough side of a shepherd lass’s tongue.”

““[…] It’s going to add to my difficulties to take any girl on the trip. If you pile too much on me the flight may be a failure, and we’ll all be sorry then.” “She gave you a bit of the rough side of her tongue, I suppose?””

CEFR level