tight lips
Of a person, silence or reticence.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Keep tight lips about the surprise party.”
“The detective asked the witness to keep tight lips until the investigation was finished.”
“Despite the intense pressure from the board of directors, the executive maintained tight lips regarding the company's impending merger.”
- 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
fat lip
A swelling on the lip, especially one resulting from a punch or other blow.
- 04
give lip
To speak to someone rudely or without respect.
- 05
hang tight
To wait, without attempting to address a challenging, alarming, or dangerous situation, until a later point in time.
- 06
keep one's lips sealed
To keep quiet; to keep a secret; to not tell.
- 07
lip service
Promising but empty talk; words without action or intention.
- 08
loose lip
The practice or characteristic of being overly talkative, especially with respect to inadvertently revealing information which is private or confidential.
Last updated August 10, 2026