ENGLISH
REFERENCE

read lips

idiom
Meaning

To lipread.


Examples
SIMPLE

She can read lips, so you do not need to shout.

CONTEXTUAL

The music at the party was so loud that I had to read lips to understand what my friend was saying.

COMPLEX

Even in the silence of the crowded room, the detective watched the suspect closely, attempting to read lips to decipher the secret conversation.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    dictated but not read

    Dictated, as to a secretary or stenographer, but not proofread by the person who dictated it.

  2. 02

    have one's head read

    To have one's mental health assessed, to receive a psychiatric examination.

  3. 03

    keep one's lips sealed

    To keep quiet; to keep a secret; to not tell.

  4. 04

    loosen someone's lips

    To cause one to speak more freely; to cause one to discuss a subject that would not usually be discussed.

  5. 05

    one's lips are sealed

    One will not tell anyone else; one is keeping a secret.

  6. 06

    quick read

    A book, periodical, or other printed matter that is enjoyable to read and can be read quickly.

  7. 07

    read between the lines

    To infer a meaning that is not stated explicitly.

  8. 08

    read in

    To allow access to classified information.

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