tongue-in-cheek 的词源

“不被认真对待”，1856年，来自短语 to speak with one's tongue in one's cheek “不诚实地说”（1748年），暗示狡猾的讽刺或幽默的不诚实，可能是一种舞台技巧，用于向观众传达讽刺。

Hem! Pray, Sir, said he to the Bard, after thrusting his Tongue into a Corner of his Cheek, and rolling his Eyes at Miss Willis, (Tricks which he had caught by endeavouring to take off a celebrated Comedian) were these fine Tragedies of yours ever acted? [anonymous, "Emily, or the History of a Natural Daughter," 1761]

嗯！请问，先生，他对吟游诗人说，在把他的舌头插入他脸颊的一个角落，并向小姐 Willis 翻白眼后，（他通过努力模仿一位著名喜剧演员而学到的把戏）你这些精美的悲剧曾经上演过吗？[匿名，《艾米莉，或自然女儿的历史》，1761年]

This arietta, however, she no sooner began to perform, than he and the justice fell asleep ; but the moment she ceased playing, the knight waked snorting, and exclaimed,— 'O cara! what d'ye think, gentlemen? Will you talk any more of your Pargolesi and your Corelli ?'—At the same time, he thrust his tongue in one cheek, and leered with one eye at the doctor and me, who sat on his left hand—He concluded the pantomime with a loud laugh, which he could command at all times extempore. [Smollett, "The Expedition of Humphrey Clinker," 1771]

然而，当她开始演奏这首 arietta 时，他和法官立刻睡着了；但她一停止演奏，骑士就打着鼾声醒来， exclaimed,— 'O cara! 你们觉得怎么样，先生们？你们还会再谈论你们的帕尔戈莱西和科雷利吗？——与此同时，他把舌头插入一边的脸颊，用一只眼睛朝坐在他左边的医生和我瞥了一眼——他以一声响亮的笑声结束了这个哑剧，他总能即兴发挥。[斯莫莱特，《哈姆弗雷·克林克的远征》，1771年]

作为形容词，“讽刺且狡猾地幽默”，1933年。