to bite one's lip → to be surprised 1 realization Unique
NEW Realization 1
type Polysemy
language Turkish
lexeme 1 dudak ısırmak
lexeme 2 dudağını ısırmak
meaning 1 to bite one's lip

Kız dudağını ısırdı


A girl bit her lip
direction —
meaning 2 to be surprised

Bu kararı duyunca ömründe ilk defa olarak sarardı, dudaklarını ısırdı


When he heard this decision, he turned pale for the first time, he was very surprised
reference Sesli Sözlük ADS
comment

The source meaning of the expression is compositional, the target meaning is idiomatic, but another non-compositional meaning ('to admire') is present, so yhe direction of the shift is not evident

© Anna A. Zalizniak et al. 2000-2026