zipped lips

Meanings

1. 1phrasefixed phraseinformalhumorous

   A playful way of saying you will keep quiet and not reveal a secret, often with a pretend zipping action across the mouth.

   Grammar: Often a reply on its own, or with my lips are zipped.

   Patterns

   • my lips are zipped
   • keep your lips zipped

   Your surprise party is safe with me, zipped lips!

   Don't tell anyone about the gift. Zipped lips, I promise.

   When she asked about the plan, he just smiled and said, zipped lips.

2. 2nounusually pluralinformal

   Lips held tightly shut, or the habit of refusing to talk about something, especially on request.

   Grammar: Used in the plural, often as a command: zipped lips, please.

   Patterns

   • zipped lips about something
   • keep zipped lips

   The coach asked for zipped lips about the team's new plays.

   Everyone kept zipped lips about who won the contract.

   The kids sat with zipped lips while the film began.

Common combinations

my lips are zipped

My lips are zipped, so no one will hear it from me.

keep your lips zipped

Keep your lips zipped until Friday.

zipped lips on the topic

We have zipped lips on the topic of salaries.

with zipped lips

She stood with zipped lips as reporters asked questions.

promise zipped lips

I promise zipped lips about your trip.

Synonyms and how they differ

mum's the word

Mum's the word is a fixed British-flavored saying for secrecy, while zipped lips is playful and often accompanied by a gesture.

keep quiet

Keep quiet is plain and neutral, whereas zipped lips adds humor and a promise not to tell.

tight-lipped

Tight-lipped describes someone who refuses to give information, often seriously, while zipped lips is lighthearted.

under wraps

Under wraps describes information kept secret, not the person who stays silent.

Opposites

Word family

zip verb

to fasten with a zipper

zipper noun

a fastener made of two rows of teeth

lip noun

either of the two edges of the mouth

tight-lipped adjective

unwilling to speak about something

Commonly confused: zipped lips or loose lips?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “zipped lips”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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