button your lip

button (one's) lip

To be quiet. Often used as an imperative. Hey, button your lip! We don't need to hear any more out of you today! Julie knew better than to speak up when her father was so angry, so she buttoned her lip for the moment.
See also: button, lip
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

button your lip

INFORMAL
If you button your lip, you keep silent about something although you would really like to speak. He had the grace and good sense to button his lip, even though this clearly caused him personal pain. As I entered his sitting room, I started laughing and was met with an impatient glare. I hastily buttoned my lip. Note: If you tell someone to button it or button their lip, you are telling them rudely to be quiet. `What have I done to deserve this?' — `Just button it, Park,' the Chief said.
See also: button, lip
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

button your lip

remain silent. informal
See also: button, lip
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

button your lip

Keep quiet. A twentieth-century Americanism, this expression had been current long enough by 1940 for Raymond Chandler to make a play on it: “Somebody ought to sew buttons on his face” (Farewell, My Lovely).
See also: button, lip
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • button (one's) lip
  • button lip
  • Button your lip!
  • be quiet
  • Be quiet!
  • curl (one's) lip
  • curl your lip
  • butt out
  • Butt out!
  • None of your lip!
References in periodicals archive
DINGBATS(r), 2009' Button your lip' - you have earned your stripes.
YOUR HOROSCOPE WITH Justin Toper
So, Bigmouth Barroso, button your lip on private conversations over here.
EUR A FOOL, JOSE
He's a very honest guy but sometimes it pays to button your lip rather than pick fights in public which you are never going to win.
Rugby League: Just the beginning
So I think it's a harsh lesson to everyone concerned that you have got to keep your thoughts to yourself, button your lip and take your punishment."
Football: Blues suffer kick in the Butt
Ricksen also seemed to make a "button your lip" motion with his finger to O'Neill.
Football: MART RED AND BURIED; O'Neill left fuming after two are sent off in Old Firm bruise brothers clash Rangers 2 Celtic 0
The breathless Bedlam and busy Button Your Lip mine a robust R&B vein while the title track and She's Pulling Out The Pin could be classic Costello.
The Mag: Play: CD REVIEWS
Some of the tales are definitely more chuckle-inducing than others: her rules for using public bathrooms (where her sage advice includes: "Hear Me Unzip and Button Your Lip," "Don't Leave Your Mark, Just Sit Down and Park") her experiences bra shopping and her account of being the noisy upstairs neighbour, are all clever and comical.
The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club . (Arts & Lit: Summer Reading)
Don't button your lip -- your heartthrob needs to know.
Love Through the Signs
It seems we sup on the philosophy that violence is "just one of those things: you have to button your lip."
Tackling terror that is lurking behind closed doors
If your mum and dad want their former daughter-in-law to attend, then you have to button your lip and don't interfere.
Sister can't resist sticking her oar in
To prove there are no hard feelings, here's a free fashion tip, Edwina - why not button your lip?
A high-handed way to treat MP and constituents
But just because you get on reasonably well with your husband's parents doesn't, however, mean you button your lip and say nothing.
I'm fed up living with the in-laws; JOAN'S SOLUTION
He said: "I don't understand this 'button your lip'.
Football: JOSE RAGE: WHY DON'T YOU BUTTON IT, FERGIE?
You may not like the behaviour and attitudes of some of your fellow tourists - or even the coach - but you button your lip because to do anything else is to undermine your team-mates.
Rugby Union: TAKE PRIDE IN SUPER LIONS
The more you badmouth his girlfriend, the more he'll feel he has to defend her, so button your lip.
Pal at work is going out with my son