cause (some) tongues to wag

cause (some) tongues to wag

To be a source of gossip, slander, or idle speculation. Just when the dust of his previous scandal had begun to settle, the governor did something new to cause tongues to wag across the country. Being a celebrity means that anything one does, no matter how banal, is enough to cause some tongues to wag.

See also: cause, tongue, wag

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

cause (some) tongues to wag

Fig. to cause people to gossip; to give people something to gossip about. The way John was looking at Mary will surely cause some tongues to wag. The way Mary was so scantily dressed will also cause tongues to wag.

See also: cause, tongue, wag

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