button your lip
Keep it secret
Button your lip means to stop talking or keep quiet, especially when you're about to say something you shouldn't.
The image is of fastening the mouth shut like buttoning a garment closed.
Often used as a direct command: Button your lip before you get us both in trouble.
Also appears as button it or button up.
- shushCommand for silence
- hushAbsence of sound
- pipe downCommand to be silent
- silenceTotal lack of sound
- secretConcealed information
quiet · mum · not a word · zip it · zip your lip · sealed · keep mum · whisper · tongue · lips sealed · muzzle · keep quiet · say nothing · hold your tongue · gag · clam up · shut up · discreet
- secrecysecrecy, secret, secrets, confidential, classified
- clothing idiomsfit like a glove, dressed to the nines, dressed to kill, wear the pants, caught with pants down
- silence commandshush, shh, shush, be quiet, quiet
button your lipspeak up
Talk louder or opine
speak your mind · open your mouth · let it out · speak out · sound off
button your lipspill the beans
Reveal confidential information
let the cat out of the bag · blab · tell all · kiss and tell · give the game away