- either of the two fleshy parts or folds forming the margins of the mouth and functioning in speech.
- these parts as organs of speech: I heard it from his own lips.
- lipstick: She usually wears a dramatic red lip.
- a projecting edge on a container or other hollow object: the lip of a pitcher.
- a liplike part or structure, especially of anatomy.
- any edge or rim.
- the edge of an opening or cavity, as of a canyon or a wound: the lip of the crater.
- impudent talk; back talk: Don't give me any of your lip.
- either of the two parts into which the corolla or calyx of certain plants, especially of the mint family, is divided.
- Zoology.
- a labium.
- the outer or the inner margin of the aperture of a gastropod's shell.
- the position and arrangement of lips and tongue in playing a wind instrument; embouchure.
- the cutting edge of a tool.
- the blade, at the end of an auger, which cuts the chip after it has been circumscribed by the spur.
- (in a twist drill) the cutting edge at the bottom of each flute.
- of or relating to the lips or a lip: lip ointment.
- characterized by or made with the lips: to read lip movements.
- superficial or insincere: to offer lip praise.
- to touch with the lips.
- to hit the ball over the rim of (the hole).
- to utter, especially softly.
- to kiss.
- to use the lips in playing a musical wind instrument.
- to talk impudently or belligerently.
- to repress one's anger or other emotions: He wanted to return the insult, but bit his lip.
- to keep silent, especially, to refrain from revealing information: They told him to button his lip if he didn't want trouble.
- to listen to very attentively: The members of the club hung on the lips of the visiting lecturer.
- keep a stiff upper lip,
- to face misfortune bravely and resolutely: Throughout the crisis they kept a stiff upper lip.
- to suppress the display of any emotion.
- to indicate one's keen enjoyment or pleasurable anticipation of: We smacked our lips over the delicious meal.
- variant of lipo-1 before a vowel: lipectomy, libase, lipemia.
- anatomy
- either of the two fleshy folds surrounding the mouth, playing an important role in the production of speech sounds, retaining food in the mouth, etc
- (as modifier)
- the corresponding part in animals, esp mammals
- any structure resembling a lip, such as the rim of a crater, the margin of a gastropod shell, etc
- a nontechnical word for labium, labellum (def. 1)
- impudent talk or backchat
- the embouchure and control in the lips needed to blow wind and brass instruments
- bite one's lip
- to stifle one's feelings
- to be annoyed or irritated
- to stop talking: often imperative
- to maintain one's courage or composure during a time of trouble without giving way to or revealing one's emotions
- to anticipate or recall something with glee or relish
- to touch with the lip or lips
- to form or be a lip or lips for
- to murmur or whisper
- to use the lips in playing a wind instrument
- a variant of lipo-
