button one's lip

present singular third person buttons one's lip · participle present buttoning one's lip · participle past buttoned one's lip · past buttoned one's lip · alternative button up one's lip

1. idiomaticTo remain silent, especially in order to keep a secret or to avoid saying something inappropriate.

   Busch wisely buttoned his lip and didn't say anything else.

   2010 June 1, Larry Woody, “Busch Better Heed Burton”, in FOXNews.com, retrieved 19 Jul 2010

   2 more examples

   "Yes," put in Solomon. "I've been tipped off to this guy Mars, and you'd better tell him to button up his lip and not start anything."

   1910, Jim Nasium, "The Baseball League on the Styx," The Sunday Press (Pittsburgh), 15 May, p. 2 (retrieved 19 July 2010)

   "We advised John not to talk, to button his lip, but he talked anyway."

   1971 October 13, Ted Blackman, “Green as team player too”, in Montreal Gazette, retrieved 19 Jul 2010, page 13

   Synonyms: bite one's lip, zip one's lip