lip
n. countablen. one of the two soft, red parts of your mouth that you use for speaking and kissing. It can also mean the edge of a cup or a container.
n. either of the two fleshy folds forming the edges of the mouth opening. In a broader sense, the rim or edge of a hollow container or anatomical structure.
She put the glass to her lips and took a sip.
The child bit his lower lip nervously while waiting for the teacher to return the test results.
The potter carefully smoothed the lip of the bowl to ensure that liquid would pour cleanly without dripping down the side of the vessel.
From Middle English lippe, from Old English lippa, lippe (“lip”), from Proto-West Germanic lippjō (“lip”), from Proto-Germanic lepô, from Proto-Indo-European *leb- (“to hang loosely, droop, sag”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Lippe (“lip”), West Frisian lippe (“lip”), Dutch lip (“lip”), German Lippe and Lefze (“lip”), Low German Lippe (“lip”), Luxembourgish Lëps (“lip”), Vilamovian łyp (“lip”), Yiddish ליפּ (lip, “lip”), Danish læbe (“lip”), Norwegian Bokmål leppe (“lip”), Norwegian Nynorsk leppa, leppe, lippa, lippe (“lip”), Swedish läpp (“lip”), Latin labium (“lip”).
Commonly used in the plural when referring to the mouth; used in the singular when referring to the edge of an object.
- 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.