keep a stiff upper lip

keep a stiff up·per lip

K k

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
- [keep ey stif uhp-er lip]
- /kip eɪ stɪf ˈʌp ər lɪp/
- /kiːp ə stɪf ˈʌpə(r) lɪp/

Definitions of keep a stiff upper lip words

noun keep a stiff upper lip either of the two fleshy parts or folds forming the margins of the mouth and functioning in speech. 1
noun keep a stiff upper lip Usually, lips. these parts as organs of speech: I heard it from his own lips. 1
noun keep a stiff upper lip a projecting edge on a container or other hollow object: the lip of a pitcher. 1
noun keep a stiff upper lip a liplike part or structure, especially of anatomy. 1
noun keep a stiff upper lip any edge or rim. 1
noun keep a stiff upper lip the edge of an opening or cavity, as of a canyon or a wound: the lip of the crater. 1

before 1000

One of the 6% oldest English words

before 1000; Middle English lip(pe), Old English lippa; cognate with Dutch lip, German Lippe; akin to Norwegian lepe, Latin labium

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 97% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.

Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Was this page helpful?

Yes No

Thank you for your feedback! Tell your friends about this page

Tell us why?