On the tip of my tongue

The tip of your tongue is the end part of your tongue. However, if something is on the tip of your tongue it means that you can’t remember something you are about to say. Maybe you’ve forgotten the word tip-top which is used to say that something is in a good condition. Tip of the iceberg, on the other hand, means a small part of a much bigger problem.

Examples

“What’s the capital of Spain? I went there last year so I should know it. It’s on the tip of my tongue.”

“Come and look at my new car. I could only afford a second-hand one, but it’s in tip-top condition.”

“Have you seen the amount of plastic washed up on the beach? Unfortunately, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. There’s much more in the sea.”