# zip one's lip

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/zip-ones-lip
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To refrain from or to stop talking; to be quiet; shut up.

## Examples

- The teacher told him to zip his lip.
- My sister threatened to tell everyone, so I paid her to zip her lip.
- The detective leaned forward and warned the witness to zip his lip until the lawyer arrived.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.