civil

a civil question deserves a civil answer

proverb If someone asks a reasonable question, then it warrants an answer. Often used as a reprimand. Why won't you answer me, Alice? A civil question deserves a civil answer! All Jim did was ask about your day. Come on, a civil question deserves a civil answer. A: "Hey, I wasn't trying to troll you, I asked because I'm genuinely curious." B: "Well, in that case, I guess a civil question deserves a civil answer."

See also: answer, civil, deserve, question

civil serpent

An unhelpful or otherwise disagreeable bureaucrat. A humorous play on the phrase "civil servant"; serpents are typically depicted as evil or villainous. I can't deal with any more civil serpents—they just keep sending me from office to office. Ugh. I've got some civil serpent looking over my case at the moment, and she's being so anal about over little detail! Miraculously, our lawyer was able to circumvent the civil serpents at City Hall and get us an answer directly from the mayor.

See also: civil, serpent

civil tongue

Kind and polite speech. I don't want any outbursts between you and your sister during this dinner, so please keep a civil tongue, understood? I know that this is a heated topic, but I would ask that all participants in the debate please use a civil tongue. I bet people would be more inclined to help you if you'd use a civil tongue when making these requests.

See also: civil, tongue

keep a civil tongue

To speak kindly and politely; to refrain from using harsh, insolent, or rude language. I don't want any outbursts between you and your sister during this dinner, so please keep a civil tongue, understood? I know that this is a heated topic, but I would ask that all participants in the debate please keep a civil tongue.

See also: civil, keep, tongue

keep a civil tongue in (one's) head

To speak kindly and politely. Please try to keep a civil tongue in your head the next time you talk to Mary, instead of arguing with her, OK?

See also: civil, head, keep, tongue

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

keep a civil tongue (in one's head)

Fig. to speak decently and politely. Please, John. Don't talk like that. Keep a civil tongue in your head. John seems unable to keep a civil tongue.

See also: civil, keep, tongue

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

keep a civil tongue in one's head

Speak politely, as in The teacher won't allow swearing; she says we must keep a civil tongue in our heads. This expression uses tongue in the sense of "a manner of speaking," a usage dating from the 1400s. An early cautionary version was "Keep a good tongue in your head, lest it hurt your teeth" (1595).

See also: civil, head, keep, tongue

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

keep a civil tongue in your head

speak politely and calmly, without rudeness.

See also: civil, head, keep, tongue

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

civil serpent

n. a civil servant. You have no idea the kinds of things “civil serpents” have to put up with.

See also: civil, serpent

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.