stuck zipper
Teeth won't budge
A stuck zipper is one that won't move up or down despite effort—the slider jammed on fabric, a misaligned tooth, or corroded metal.
The phrase extends to any frustrating mechanical failure at an inopportune moment: I was late because of a stuck zipper.
Lubricants like soap, candle wax, or graphite often free them.
- jammedUnable to move freely
- teethEnamel-covered chewing structures
- pullForce toward oneself
- tugShort forceful pull
- fabricWoven or knit material
snag · catch · slider · metal · frustration · yank · cloth · pinch · grip · pliers · soap · candle · bar of soap · wax · lubricant · pants · jacket · fly
- fastener failuresstripped screw, loose screw, stripped bolt, stripped threads, cross-threading
- appearance blunderswardrobe malfunction, stain, wrinkled clothes, visible panty line, mismatched socks
- defectsdefect, flaw, crack, cracks, defective
- stage mishapsmissed cue, line flub, tripping, stumble, trip