Большой русско-английский фразеологический словарь
Я23
ПРОГЛОТИТЬ ЯЗЫКoften БУДТО (КАК БУДТО, СЛОВНО, ТОЧНО) ЯЗЫК ПРОГЛОТИЛcollVPsubj:humanusu.pastoften used in questions) to keep or fall silent, refrain from saying anything (out of fear, embarrassment, a lack of confidenceetc, or in an attempt not to revealsth.): X как будто язык проглотил - it was as if (as though) X had swallowed (lost) his tongue
ты что, язык проглотил? — (what,) has the cat got your tongue? Бабушка пыталась выяснить у Алёши, кто разбил салатницу, но тот молчал, словно язык проглотил. Grandma tried to find out from Alyosha who had broken the salad bowl, but he kept silent, as if he had swallowed his tongue.