Sweet tooth

Idiomatic Phrase
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Sweet tooth denotes a strong fondness for sweet foods; in sensory poetry, it symbolizes indulgence, pleasure, childhood nostalgia, or the craving for comfort and simple joys in life.

Detailed Definition
Sweet tooth means a liking or craving for sweet foods, but in poetry it can also suggest appetite, indulgence, comfort, childhood pleasure, or temptation. The idiom makes desire bodily and sensory, linking taste with memory and mood. A poet may use it in domestic scenes, love poems, comic portraits, or reflections on pleasure and excess. It can be affectionate, playful, or critical if sweetness becomes avoidance of bitterness. The phrase is useful for exploring appetite, nostalgia, and the emotional meanings of taste.
Example
Example in poetry:
A comic poem might give the dragon a sweet tooth for cakes instead of princesses; In a love lyric, a sweet tooth for praise may make the speaker vulnerable to flattery; The phrase means a liking for sweet food; A poet can extend it metaphorically to desire.
Additional Notes
A sweet tooth is a fondness for sweet foods, but metaphorically it can suggest appetite for pleasure, indulgence, or comfort. In poetry, it can be playful, sensual, nostalgic, or morally charged. The tooth image makes desire bodily and specific. Students might connect it with childhood, temptation, celebration, and excess. It pairs well with cakes, honey, fruit, sugar, kisses, and the question of when sweetness nourishes or corrupts.
Also Known As
likes sweets
Skip to main content