--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...I bit my tongue and sat through his…" description: "\"“...I bit my tongue and sat through his detailed and strained explanation. Not for the first time, I realized he considered me slightly slow. My silenc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/robin-hobb-489_first-time_i-bit-my-tongue-and-sat-through-his-deta_2726016.jpg" --- # ...I bit my tongue and sat through his detailed and… ![“...I bit my tongue and sat through his detailed and strained explanation. Not for the first time, I realized he considered me slightly slow. My silences he mistook for a lack of wit rather than a lack of any need to speak.” quote by Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/robin-hobb-489_first-time_i-bit-my-tongue-and-sat-through-his-deta_2726016.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/robin-hobb-489_first-time_i-bit-my-tongue-and-sat-through-his-deta_2726016.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/robin-hobb-489_first-time_i-bit-my-tongue-and-sat-through-his-deta_2726016.jpg) > ““...I bit my tongue and sat through his detailed and strained explanation. Not for the first time, I realized he considered me slightly slow. My silences he mistook for a lack of wit rather than a lack of any need to speak.”” [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator feels underestimated, misinterpreted as slow, and his silence is seen as witlessness. **In simple terms:** Feels judged as slow; silence misread. Key Takeaway Communicate your strengths clearly. Themes misunderstanding communication self‑esteem Mood reflective empathetic Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - workplace - education - personal relationships Key Concepts literature character analysis Questions to Reflect On - How can you assert your competence? - What strategies improve perception of quiet people? A Different Perspective Silence can be misperceived as lack of intelligence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bit Tongue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bit-tongue-1702116/) [First time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-time/) [Lack Wit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lack-wit-590712/) [Silences Mistook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silences-mistook-1302621/) [Slow Silences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slow-silences-2918602/) [Tongue Sat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tongue-sat-2918601/) ## Related quotes > [“My silences he mistook for a lack of wit rather than a lack of any need to speak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/my-silences-he-mistook-for-a-lack-of-wit-rather-than-a-lack-of-any/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [Wheeee... ow I bit my tongue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-wiggum/wheeee-ow-i-bit-my-tongue/) [Ralph Wiggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-wiggum/) > [ “...it is not the lack of wit or intellect that shallow men crave \[in women\], it is lack of personality; they desire a woman… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-brust/it-is-not-the-lack-of-wit-or-intellect-that-shallow-men-crave-in/) [Steven Brust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-brust/) > [“Lucky bit down on his tongue before, "You're so full of shit I'm surprised your eyes aren't brown," clawed its way out of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eden-winters/lucky-bit-down-on-his-tongue-before-you-re-so-full-of-shit-i-m/) [Eden Winters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eden-winters/) > [They have a plentiful lack of wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/they-have-a-plentiful-lack-of-wit/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [When I was younger, I was terrified to express anger because it would often kick-start a horrible reaction in the men in my life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/when-i-was-younger-i-was-terrified-to-express-anger-because-it-would/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [Good-humor will even go so far as often to supply the lack of wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/good-humor-will-even-go-so-far-as-often-to-supply-the-lack-of-wit/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [“For Nehemia, she’d play this game. Celaena bit her tongue hard enough to keep her gods-damned smart-ass mouth shut.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/for-nehemia-she-d-play-this-game-celaena-bit-her-tongue-hard-enough/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [Life is like a parachute jump: you have to get it right the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/life-is-like-a-parachute-jump-you-have-to-get-it-right-the-first-time/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“I won’t break your heart. 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And for the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-monir/i-m-waiting-for-you-he-murmured-smiling-a-slow-familiar-grin-that/) [Alexandra Monir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-monir/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [“I’m so stressed that a weird Olympic-style commentary starts up in my head. And here we have Zelah Green, the fourteen-year-old champion of rituals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-curtis/i-m-so-stressed-that-a-weird-olympic-style-commentary-starts-up-in-my/) [Vanessa Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-curtis/) > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) ## More by Robin Hobb > [Boredom is vastly underrated. Boredom means that nothing is trying to kill you every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/boredom-is-vastly-underrated-boredom-means-that-nothing-is-trying-to/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“But that is not true for all folk. Some folk are meant to argue with fate. And win.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/but-that-is-not-true-for-all-folk-some-folk-are-meant-to-argue-with/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“I tried to leave you alone, Fitz. To find what peace you could, even if it excluded me from your life.” Ten years ago,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/i-tried-to-leave-you-alone-fitz-to-find-what-peace-you-could-even-if/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“Do you think you're taking Etta out of here?" "Yes," Kennit called over his shoulder up the sairs. "What about all these dead men?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/do-you-think-you-re-taking-etta-out-of-here-yes-kennit-called-over/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“A way out is a way in. Then,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/a-way-out-is-a-way-in-then/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“Die in your dreams, wake up insane.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/die-in-your-dreams-wake-up-insane/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“I felt a familiar squeezing in what I thought must be my heart. I had heard of being "heartbroken" or "heavy-hearted" but I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/i-felt-a-familiar-squeezing-in-what-i-thought-must-be-my-heart-i-had/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“They spoke of a dream of a child who bore the heart of a wolf.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/they-spoke-of-a-dream-of-a-child-who-bore-the-heart-of-a-wolf/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“We all perish in our last attempt to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/we-all-perish-in-our-last-attempt-to-live/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“There is always power in holding a secret.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/there-is-always-power-in-holding-a-secret/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“... finally realizing that life was to be lived, rather than hoarded against an unseen tomorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/finally-realizing-that-life-was-to-be-lived-rather-than-hoarded/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“Why, I suddenly wondered, had I wasted all those hours I could have spent with her? Why hadn’t I gone with them, to listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/why-i-suddenly-wondered-had-i-wasted-all-those-hours-i-could-have/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“I think I made a better boy than I do a man, I admitted ruefully to the wolf. Why not wait until you've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/i-think-i-made-a-better-boy-than-i-do-a-man-i-admitted-ruefully-to/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“So, with all the wide world to choose from, you didn't choose at all. You simply stopped wandering one day”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/so-with-all-the-wide-world-to-choose-from-you-didn-t-choose-at-all/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [“I don't think I can stand it much longer,” he warned her. “Something will have to give way. And I fear it will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/i-don-t-think-i-can-stand-it-much-longer-he-warned-her-something-will/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) [Explore all 500 Robin Hobb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) ## More First time quotes > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [“I’m so stressed that a weird Olympic-style commentary starts up in my head. And here we have Zelah Green, the fourteen-year-old champion of rituals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-curtis/i-m-so-stressed-that-a-weird-olympic-style-commentary-starts-up-in-my/) [Vanessa Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-curtis/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [“I’m waiting for you,” he murmured, smiling a slow, familiar grin that seemed to hint at a secret between them. And for the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-monir/i-m-waiting-for-you-he-murmured-smiling-a-slow-familiar-grin-that/) [Alexandra Monir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-monir/) > [“Treat every natural beauty you met as if you see them for the first and last time!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/treat-every-natural-beauty-you-met-as-if-you-see-them-for-the-first/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“I won’t break your heart. For the first time in my life, I’ve found something worth fighting for, someone more important than me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelle-bliss/i-won-t-break-your-heart-for-the-first-time-in-my-life-i-ve-found/) [Chelle Bliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelle-bliss/) > [Life is like a parachute jump: you have to get it right the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/life-is-like-a-parachute-jump-you-have-to-get-it-right-the-first-time/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [When my kids were in the school play for the first time, I decided I had to make the costumes from scratch and bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-alexander/when-my-kids-were-in-the-school-play-for-the-first-time-i-decided-i/) [Sarah Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-alexander/) > [“I will run every mile, i will save every line, i will say i reached the top and i will fall back down standing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mennah-al-refaey/i-will-run-every-mile-i-will-save-every-line-i-will-say-i-reached-the/) [Mennah al refaey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mennah-al-refaey/) > [“Or maybe your magic isn't that destructive after all. 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