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Glite Dictionary
to button one's lip

to button one's lip

7.2
To keep quiet on purpose and not tell others
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : callarse
  • When asked about the surprise party, she decided to button her lip to keep it a secret.

Examples

  • He knew he should button his lip and not share the confidential information.

  • In meetings, it's best to button your lip if you have nothing useful to contribute.

  • He now did, telling Tom to shut the hell up and listen, to sit on his hands, button his lip, and take the cotton out of his ears.

    Academic text (1995)

Synonyms

to be quiet
vsto button one's lip
231 1.0

To stop making noise or talking

is specifically choosing silence to avoid revealing information
to keep one's mouth shut
vsto button one's lip
  • Informal
116 5.6

To say nothing to avoid trouble or keep a secret

is more general silence by choice rather than an order
to keep quiet
vsto button one's lip
90 2.5

To say nothing or not tell a secret

is used especially to keep something secret or deliberately withheld
to keep a secret
vsto button one's lip
76 2.6

To not tell anyone private information

is about not speaking in the moment rather than long term secrecy
to swallow
vsto button one's lip
  • Informal
5 7.0

To take back words you said

is focused on keeping information secret through intentional silence
to keep back
vsto button one's lip
4 5.1

Stop yourself from showing an emotion like tears or laughter

concerns refusing to speak or reveal information rather than holding feelings
to shut one's mouth
vsto button one's lip
  • Informal
4 4.4

To stop talking to keep a secret or when told to be quiet

is about voluntary silence aimed at not revealing information
to button up
vsto button one's lip
  • Informal
3 7.1

To stop talking suddenly and not answer questions

is about staying silent intentionally rather than a sudden stop
to hold one's tongue
vsto button one's lip
  • Informal
3 5.4

To stay silent to avoid saying something rude

focuses on choosing silence to withhold information rather than avoiding conflict
to keep mum
vsto button one's lip
  • Informal
3 7.5

Stay quiet about something private

emphasizes quietness specifically to avoid revealing information
to hush up
vsto button one's lip
  • Informal
2 5.0

Make someone stop talking and be quiet

is voluntary silence chosen to avoid revealing information rather than imposed quiet
to zip someone's lip
vsto button one's lip
  • Informal
8.4

To keep quiet and not tell others about something

is similar but is a general phrase for refusing to speak
to keep one's cakehole shut
vsto button one's lip
  • Offensive
9.9

Not say anything or tell other people

is a polite intentional silence used to avoid revealing information
to belt up
vsto button one's lip
  • Offensive
9.2

To tell someone to stop talking and be quiet

is a voluntary refusal to speak to avoid telling something
to bite one's lip
vsto button one's lip
  • Informal
6.1

Pressing your lips together to keep from laughing or saying something

refers to choosing silent secrecy rather than suppressing visible emotion

Antonyms

to reveal
∞ 2.3

Show something that was hidden or secret

to speak up
  • Informal
135 3.1

Give your opinion clearly and firmly even when it is difficult

How Silent

to button one's lip
  • Informal
7.2
to keep quiet
90 2.5
to clam up
  • Informal
14 6.6

Surface Forms

button one's lip infinitive
buttoned one's lip past
buttoned one's lip past participle
buttoning one's lip present participle
buttons one's lip third person singular

Morphology

button + one's + lip

The verb 'button' (to fasten/close) applied to 'lip' evokes the image of fastening the mouth shut, so a learner who knows both words can plausibly infer 'keep silent'. This is a metaphorical but directly motivated extension rather than an arbitrary idiom, so it is predictable but not fully literal.

Etymology

The idiom button one's lip comes from the picture of closing your mouth like you button a coat: you press a button so the lip stays shut. That's why it means 'to keep silent' or 'not tell something'.