Etymology

stiff upper lip

Today it means: The quality of being resolute and showing self-restraint, stereotypically associated with the British; especially as keep a stiff upper lip. Full definition →

Ask AI about its historyChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

The story

Of American origin; the earliest known use is in 1811.https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Olive_Branch_Or_Faults_on_Both_Sides/vG89AAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=stiff+upper+lip&pg=PA237&printsec=frontcover

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.