swift-tongued
Definition
- Adjective:
- Characterized by quick, fluent, and often clever speech: "swift-tongued" describes someone who speaks rapidly and articulately, often with wit or sharpness.
- Skilled in verbal repartee: The word implies a person who is quick to respond in conversation, especially with humorous or cutting remarks.
Usage Examples
- (She spoke quickly and effectively in debates.)
- (The comedian delivered jokes very quickly and cleverly.)
- (His quick and clever response surprised everyone.)
Advanced Usage
"swift-tongued wit": a person known for their quick and clever verbal humour.
- The swift-tongued wit of the talk show host made the interview entertaining. (The host’s quick, clever speech added enjoyment.)
"swift-tongued criticism": harsh or sharp words delivered rapidly.
- The swift-tongued criticism from the reviewer stung the author. (The reviewer’s quick, sharp comments hurt the author.)
Variants and Related Words
Swift-tonguedness (n): the quality of being swift-tongued.
- Her swift-tonguedness made her a formidable opponent in any verbal duel. (Her quick speech skill made her strong in arguments.)
Tongue (n): the organ of speech; used in related phrases.
- He has a sharp tongue. (He speaks in a harsh or critical manner.)
Synonyms
- Quick-witted: mentally sharp and able to respond rapidly.
- Glib: fluent and voluble but often insincere or shallow.
- Silver-tongued: eloquent and persuasive in speech.
Idioms
"to have a quick tongue": to speak rapidly and often sharply.
- She has a quick tongue and never loses an argument. (She speaks fast and effectively in disagreements.)
"to be sharp-tongued": to speak in a critical or cutting way.
- He is sharp-tongued, always ready with a sarcastic remark. (He speaks critically and sarcastically.)
Related Phrases
- Swift-tongued retort: a quick, clever reply.
- Her swift-tongued retort silenced the critic. (Her quick, clever response ended the criticism.)