словно язык проглотил

• ПРОГЛОТИТЬ ЯЗЫК; often БУДТО <КАК БУДТО, СЛОВНО, ТОЧНО> ЯЗЫК ПРОГЛОТИЛ coll

[VP; subj: human; usu. past; often used in questions]

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⇒ to keep or fall silent, refrain from saying anything (out of fear, embarrassment, a lack of confidence etc, or in an attempt not to reveal sth.):

- X как будто язык проглотил{{}}≈ it was as if <as though> X had swallowed (lost) his tongue;

|| ты что, язык проглотил? ≈ (what,) has the cat got your tongue?

     ♦ Бабушка пыталась выяснить у Алёши, кто разбил салатницу, но тот молчал, словно язык проглотил. Grandma tried to find out from Alyosha who had broken the salad bowl, but he kept silent, as if he had swallowed his tongue.