I share 20 idioms related to lips and teeth, providing clear meanings and examples for each. Idioms are figurative expressions that convey specific ideas or emotions. Understanding these idioms helps in grasping the nuances of English.
I have categorized these idioms into five groups: best idioms for lips, funny idioms for lips, idioms for lips and teeth, best idioms for teeth, and funny idioms for teeth. if you understand these idioms, you will enhance your understanding of figurative language and improve your communication skills.
list of 20 idioms for teeth and lips
- Button your lip
- Lip service
- Read my lips
- Zip your lips
- Lips are sealed
- Loose lips sink ships
- Smack one’s lips
- Give lip
- By the skin of one’s teeth
- Grit one’s teeth
- Set your teeth on edge
- Long in the tooth
- Fight tooth and nail
- Cut one’s teeth
- Show one’s teeth
- Lie through one’s teeth
- Teeth chattering
- Pulling teeth
- Lie through your teeth
- Give one’s eye teeth
Best Idioms for Lips
Button your lip
Meaning: Stay silent.
Example: I had to button my lip during the meeting.
Lip service
Meaning: Insincere praise.
Example: The manager’s appreciation felt like lip service.
Read my lips
Meaning: Pay close attention.
Example: Read my lips: no more extensions.
Zip your lips
Meaning: Be quiet.
Example: He told me to zip my lips about the secret.
Funny Idioms for Lips
Lips are sealed
Meaning: Keeping a secret.
Example: My lips are sealed; I won’t tell anyone.
Loose lips sink ships
Meaning: Careless talk causes trouble.
Example: Loose lips sink ships, so be careful.
Smack one’s lips
Meaning: Show excitement or anticipation.
Example: He smacked his lips at the sight of the feast.
Give lip
Meaning: Speak rudely.
Example: Don’t give me lip when I ask you to help.
Idioms for Lips and Teeth
By the skin of one’s teeth
Meaning: Barely succeed.
Example: He passed the test by the skin of his teeth.
Grit one’s teeth
Meaning: Endure something difficult.
Example: She gritted her teeth through the pain.
Set your teeth on edge
Meaning: Annoy greatly.
Example: His chewing set my teeth on edge.
Long in the tooth
Meaning: Old or aging.
Example: The actor is getting long in the tooth.
Best Idioms for Teeth
Fight tooth and nail
Meaning: Fight fiercely.
Example: She fought tooth and nail for her rights.
Cut one’s teeth
Meaning: Gain initial experience.
Example: He cut his teeth in the advertising industry.
Show one’s teeth
Meaning: Display aggression.
Example: He showed his teeth when challenged.
Lie through one’s teeth
Meaning: Tell blatant lies.
Example: He lied through his teeth about his qualifications.
Funny Idioms for Teeth
Teeth chattering
Meaning: Very cold.
Example: My teeth were chattering in the winter chill.
Pulling teeth
Meaning: Very difficult task.
Example: Getting him to clean his room is like pulling teeth.
Lie through your teeth
Meaning: Tell a big lie.
Example: He lied through his teeth about the accident.
Give one’s eye teeth
Meaning: Want something badly.
Example: She’d give her eye teeth for that job.
1. What are some idioms for lips and their meanings?
Idioms like “Button your lip” and “Lip service” are common. These expressions refer to staying silent and giving insincere praise, respectively.
2. How do idioms about teeth convey emotions or situations?
Teeth idioms such as “Grit one’s teeth” signify enduring challenges, while “Set your teeth on edge” describes intense annoyance.
3. Why are lips and teeth idioms important in communication?
Lips and teeth idioms enrich language by adding figurative meaning, helping to express emotions, situations, and ideas more vividly.
