To lie through your teeth

Helen Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I’m Helen and joining me today is Rob.

Rob
Hello. Hey, have you heard Neil’s good news?

Helen
No, what’s that?

Rob
Well, he ran in the London Marathon and he came first!

Helen
That’s impossible.

Rob
Well I know it’s hard to believe but he has been training very hard and he’s quite a fast runner.

Helen
Sorry Rob - he’s lying through his teeth - he went to the cinema on Sunday!

Rob
Oh, did he really? Well, you’ve just used a perfect phrase - ‘to lie through your teeth’ - it means to tell someone something that’s completely untrue.

Helen
That’s why I said it! So he’s giving you false information.

Rob
Yes, I’m going to have words with him - but before I do, let’s hear some more examples of this phrase…

Examples
When she said she was nearly 30 years old, I knew she was lying through her teeth!

They promised we’d get free drinks every day at our hotel but they were lying through their teeth.

He lied through his teeth when he said he bought her an expensive engagement ring - it was just a cheap one from the catalogue.

Helen
So, ‘to lie through your teeth’ means to say something that’s false. Neil was telling an outrageous lie, I can’t believe you fell for it.

Rob
Well actually, it was me who was lying through my teeth. Neil didn’t tell me he’d won the marathon - it was a trick to find out where Neil really was on Sunday - and now you’ve told me - he was at the cinema on his own! Thanks very much.

Helen
Well, to be honest, he wasn’t alone at the cinema - he went with me but we forgot to invite you. Sorry!

Rob
You liar!

Helen
It was just a little white lie - a lie that’s told just to avoid upsetting someone.

Rob
Well it hasn’t worked. I’m off. Good bye!

Helen
Oh dear, Rob.