read lips
To lipread.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“She can read lips, so you do not need to shout.”
“The music at the party was so loud that I had to read lips to understand what my friend was saying.”
“Even in the silence of the crowded room, the detective watched the suspect closely, attempting to read lips to decipher the secret conversation.”
- 01
bite one's lip
To forcibly prevent oneself from speaking, especially in order to avoid saying something inappropriate or likely to cause a dispute.
- 02
button one's lip
To remain silent, especially in order to keep a secret or to avoid saying something inappropriate.
- 03
dictated but not read
Dictated, as to a secretary or stenographer, but not proofread by the person who dictated it.
- 04
fat lip
A swelling on the lip, especially one resulting from a punch or other blow.
- 05
give lip
To speak to someone rudely or without respect.
- 06
have one's head read
To have one's mental health assessed, to receive a psychiatric examination.
- 07
keep one's lips sealed
To keep quiet; to keep a secret; to not tell.
- 08
lip service
Promising but empty talk; words without action or intention.
Last updated August 10, 2026