lip (redirected from biting lip)

button (up) one's lip

Fig. to stop talking. (Fixed order.) Please button up your lip! Will you button your lip? I don't want the news to get out.

See also: button

Don't give me any of your lip!

Fig. Don't talk back! Do as I tell you and don't give me any of your lip!

See also: any, give

give someone some lip

Inf. to speak rudely or disrespectfully to someone; to sass someone. Billy gave me some lip, so I whupped him. Jane is always giving the teacher some lip.

See also: give, some

Keep a stiff upper lip.

Prov. Act as though you are not upset.; Do not let unpleasant things upset you. (English people are stereotypically supposed to be very good at keeping a stiff upper lip.) Even though he was only three years old, Jonathan kept a stiff upper lip the whole time he was in the hospital recovering from his surgery. Jill: Sometimes this job frustrates me so much I could just break down in tears. Jane: Keep a stiff upper lip. Things are bound to improve.

See also: keep, stiff, upper

lick one's lips

Fig. to show eagerness or pleasure about a future event. (From the habit of people licking their lips when they are about to enjoy eating something.) The children licked their lips at the sight of the cake. The author's readers were licking their lips in anticipation of her new novel.

See also: lick

Loose lips sink ships.

Don't talk carelessly because you don't know who is listening. (From wartime. Literally, "Don't reveal even the location of a loved one on a ship, because the location could be communicated to the enemy by a spy.") You never know who is going to hear what you say and how they will use what they hear. Remember, loose lips sink ships.

See also: loose, ship, sink

My lips are sealed.

Fig. I will tell no one this secret or this gossip. Mary: I hope you don't tell anyone about this. Alice: Don't worry. My lips are sealed. Bob: Don't you dare tell her I told you. Bill: My lips are sealed.

See also: seal

None of your lip!

Fig. Shut up!; I don't want to hear anything from you about anything! A: You are being a real nuisance about the broken window. B: None of your lip! Just help me clean it up.

See also: none

pay lip service (to something)

Fig. to express loyalty, respect, or support for something insincerely. You don't really care about politics. You're just paying lip service to the candidate. Don't sit here and pay lip service. Get busy!

See also: pay, service

read someone's lips

to manage to understand speech by watching and interpreting the movements of the speaker's lips. I couldn't hear her but I could read her lips.

See also: read

There's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip

. Prov. Many things may happen to prevent you from carrying out what you intend to do. Bob: Now that I have a contract with a publisher, nothing in the world can stop me from writing this book. Alan: Don't be so sure. There's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip.

See also: and, cup, many, slip

Watch my lips! and Read my lips!

Inf. I am going to say something rude to you that I will not say out loud! You jerk! Watch my lips! Hey, chum! Read my lips!

See also: watch

Zip (up) your lip! and Zip it up!

Inf. Be quiet!; Close your mouth and be quiet! "I've heard enough. Zip your lip!" hollered the coach. Andy: All right, you guys. Shut up! Zip it up! Bob: Sorry. Andy: That's better.

See also: zip

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a stiff upper lip

an ability to stay calm and not show feelings of sadness or fear You weren't allowed to show emotion in those days. You had to keep a stiff upper lip at all times. I never once saw my father cry or show any sign of vulnerability - it's that old British stiff upper lip.

See also: stiff, upper

be on everyone's lips

if a word or question is on everyone's lips, a lot of people are talking about it and interested in it And the question that's on everyone's lips at the moment is, will he have to resign over the scandal?

be tight-lipped 

1. to have an angry expression Dad was harassed and tight-lipped and I thought he was going to lose his temper.

2. to not give any information about something (usually + about ) Army spokesmen are tight-lipped about planned operations.

curl your lip  (literary)

to lift one side of your mouth in an expression which shows that you do not like or respect something or someone Don't you curl your lip at me, young miss!

See want to curl up and die, curl hair, make toes curl

See also: curl

give/pay lip service to something

to say that you agree with and support an idea or plan but not do anything to help it to succeed The company pays lip service to the notion of racial equality but you look around you and all you see are white faces.

See curl lip

See also: give, service

lick your lips

to feel pleased and excited about something that is going to happen, usually because you think you will get something good from it Meanwhile, the property developers are licking their lips at the prospect of all the money they're going to make.

See also: lick

My lips are sealed.  (humorous)

something you say to let someone know that you will not tell anyone else what they have just told you 'I'd prefer you not to mention this to anyone else.' 'My lips are sealed.'

See lick lips, Read my lips!

See also: seal

Read my lips!  (informal)

a slightly impolite way of telling someone to listen to what you are saying Read my lips. You're not having any more ice-cream.

See also: read

There's many a slip twixt cup and lip.  (literary)

something that you say in order to warn someone not to be too confident about the result of a plan, because many things can go wrong before it is completed We still might finish in time for the deadline, but there's many a slip twixt cup and lip.

See fall through the cracks, let slip

See also: and, cup, many, slip, twixt

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your lips are sealed

you will not talk about something He acts like he wants you to ask what happened, and then if you do ask, he tells you his lips are sealed.

See also: seal

on everyone's lips

being talked about by many people He hasn't answered the question on everyone's lips - how is his health?

smack your lips

to show excitement or satisfaction Planners began smacking their lips at the thought of all that farmland to build on.

Etymology: from the sound made when you quickly move your lips together and apart to show you are hungry or that you like something

See also: smack