Your lips are the two outer parts of the edge of your mouth.
Wade stuck the cigarette between his lips.
2. countable noun
The lip of something such as a container or a high area of land is its edge.
...the lip of the jug. [+ of]
...the lip of Mount Etna's smouldering crater. [+ of]
Synonyms: edge, rim, brim, margin More Synonyms of lip
3.
See bite your lip
4.
See on everyone's lips
5.
See to lick your lips
6.
See my lips are sealed
7.
See a stiff upper lip
More Synonyms of lip
lip in British English
(lɪp)
noun
1. anatomy
a.
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
▶ Related adjective: labial
b.
(as modifier)
lip salve
2.
the corresponding part in animals, esp mammals
3.
any structure resembling a lip, such as the rim of a crater, the margin of a gastropod shell, etc
4. a nontechnical word for labium, labellum (sense 1)
5. slang
impudent talk or backchat
6.
the embouchure and control in the lips needed to blow wind and brass instruments
7. bite one's lip
8. button one's lip
9. keep a stiff upper lip
10. lick one's lips
verbWord forms: lips, lipping or lipped
11. (transitive)
to touch with the lip or lips
12. (transitive)
to form or be a lip or lips for
13. (transitive) rare
to murmur or whisper
14. (intransitive)
to use the lips in playing a wind instrument
Derived forms
lipless (ˈlipless)
adjective
liplike (ˈlipˌlike)
adjective
Word origin
Old English lippa; related to Old High German leffur, Norwegian lepe, Latin labium
lip- in British English
combining form
a variant of lipo-
lipo- in British English
or before a vowel lip-
combining form
fat or fatty
lipoprotein
Word origin
from Greek lipos fat
lip in American English
(lɪp)
noun
1.
either of the two fleshy folds forming the edges of the mouth
2.
anything like a lip, as in structure or in being an edge, rim, or margin
; specif.,
a.
the edge of a wound
b.
the projecting rim of a pitcher, cup, etc.
c.
the edge of the mouthpiece of a wind instrument
d.
the edge on either side of the sound-producing opening of an organ flue pipe
e.
the cutting edge of any of certain tools
f. Anatomy
labium
g. Botany
a lip-shaped corolla, calyx, or petal, as in a mint or an orchid
h.
labellum
3.
the position and use of the lips in playing a wind instrument; embouchure
4. Slang
impertinent or insolent talk
verb transitiveWord forms: lipped or ˈlipping
5.
to touch with the lips
; specif.,
a.
to place the lips in the proper position for playing (a wind instrument)
b. Archaic
to kiss
6.
to utter, esp. softly
7. Golf
to come just to the edge of (the cup)
said of the ball
adjective
8. Phonetics
articulated with a lip or the lips; labial
not widely used as a technical term
a lip consonant
9.
of or for the lips
10.
from the lips only; spoken, but insincere
Idioms:
bite one's lip
hang on the lips of
keep a stiff upper lip
smack one's lips
Derived forms
lipless (ˈlipless)
adjective
Word origin
ME lippe < OE lippa, akin to MDu lippe < IE base *leb-, to hang loosely, lip > L labes, a falling, labium, lip
More idioms containing
lip
button your lip
keep a stiff upper lip
pay lip service to something
there is many a slip twixt cup and lip
Examples of 'lip' in a sentence
lip
My knowledge of lip balm is second to none.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The chin and under lip will be shaved, but not the upper lip.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This is not lip service, box ticking or charity.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
And this very, very careful politician buttons her lip.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Instead, they insult the issues with lip service.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
It was British stiff upper lip and making the best of a bad situation condensed into a sardine can.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
A bold lip and eye?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
As instructed, I avoid the eye and lip area.
The Sun (2016)
You must need a stiff upper lip and heart of stone.
The Sun (2013)
The lip balm still uses the colour and the family still runs the business.
The Sun (2012)
Add definition to the face by lining the lips and eyes.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
But is much of this just lip service?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Stiff upper lips and stiff lower lips.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Life is easier when people turn a blind eye and button their lips.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Seal your lips around their mouth and blow into it.
Cohen, Julian & Kay, James Taking Drugs Seriously (1994)
The two other women touch their lips and pray.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It may take whiplash men with stiff upper lips and loose lower jaws to build an empire.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
He took the cap off my lip balm.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Forget the stiff upper lip as our default collective national emotion.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
None of the puppets had mouths because lip movements were too costly to film.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Scales is biting his lower lip and staring hard at the camera.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Leaning in until her lips touch his ear.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Did he think he could just bite his lip and soldier through?
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
And his upper lip was often swollen.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Carrying lip balm in her pocket is a good idea.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Next it was eyes and lips.
The Sun (2012)
The camera tracks her like a devoted puppy, feasting on her sleeping form and parted lips.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The parties must at least pay lip service: the women in their midst are in revolt.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Fold each edge of the sheet so that it forms a 2.5cm lip.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
For the rest of her life, she kept her lips buttoned.
The Times Literary Supplement (2014)
It is still my eyes and my lips, right?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Word lists with
lip
parts of plants
In other languages
lip
British English: lip /lɪp/ NOUN
Your lips are the two outer parts of the edge of your mouth.
He licked his dry lips.
American English: lip
Arabic: شِفَةٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: lábio
Chinese: 嘴唇
Croatian: usnica
Czech: ret
Danish: læbe
Dutch: lip
European Spanish: labio
Finnish: huuli
French: lèvre
German: Lippe
Greek: χείλος στόμα
Italian: labbro
Japanese: 唇
Korean: 입술
Norwegian: leppe
Polish: warga
European Portuguese: lábio
Romanian: buză
Russian: губа
Latin American Spanish: labio
Swedish: läpp
Thai: ริมฝีปาก
Turkish: dudak
Ukrainian: губа
Vietnamese: môi miệng
Chinese translation of 'lip'
lip
(lɪp)
n
(c) (Anat) 唇(脣) (chún) (片, piàn)
(c)[of cup, jug etc]边(邊)缘(緣) (biānyuán)
(u) (inf, = insolence) 唐突无(無)礼(禮)的话(話) (tángtū wúlǐ de huà)
1 (noun)
Definition
any structure resembling a lip, such as the rim of a jug
the lip of the jug
Synonyms
edge
She was standing at the water's edge.
rim
She looked at him over the rim of her glass.
brim
She filled her glass right up to the brim.
margin
These islands are on the margins of human habitation.
brink
Their economy is teetering on the brink of collapse.
flange
2 (noun)
Definition
impudent talk or backchat
(slang)
Enough of that lip if you want me to help you!
Synonyms
impudence
One sister had the impudence to wear the other's clothes.
rudeness
She is cross at his rudeness.
insolence
The most frequent reason for excluding a pupil was insolence.
impertinence
The impertinence of the boy is phenomenal!
sauce (informal)
cheek (informal)
I'm amazed they have the cheek to ask in the first place.
effrontery
He had the effrontery to turn up on my doorstep at 2 in the morning.
backchat (informal)
brass neck (informal)
idioms
See pay lip service to something or someone
See smack or lick your lips
related words
related adjectivelabial
figurative note
The lips are the two fleshy folds surrounding the mouth. Their physical appearance has prompted lip to be applied to other structures which have an edge or rim, e.g. lip of the crater, cup, and hole. In theatrical circles, the edge of the stage is technically known as the lip. The lips are important in the articulation of speech, so lip in itself can mean speech, specifically impudent backchat in none of your lip. The expression pay lip service means to offer insincere support which is not put into practice, stemming from a sense of service as duty, for show but not for real. Lips have developed connotations of appetite, both for food and love: we smack or lick our lips in anticipation of these things.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of backchat
Definition
impudent replies
Synonyms
cheek (informal),
lip (slang),
talking back,
answering back,
insolence,
impertinence,
verbals (British, slang),
impudence,
sass (US, Canadian, informal)
in the sense of brim
Definition
the upper rim of a cup, bowl, etc.
She filled her glass right up to the brim.
Synonyms
rim,
edge,
border,
lip,
margin,
verge (British),
brink,
flange
in the sense of brink
Definition
the land at the edge of a body of water
Their economy is teetering on the brink of collapse.
Synonyms
edge,
point,
limit,
border,
lip,
margin,
boundary,
skirt,
frontier,
fringe,
verge (British),
threshold,
rim,
brim
Synonyms of 'lip'
lip
Explore 'lip' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of cheek
Definition
impudence, boldness, or lack of respect
I'm amazed they have the cheek to ask in the first place.
Synonyms
impudence,
face (informal),
front,
nerve (informal),
sauce (informal),
gall (informal),
disrespect,
audacity,
neck (informal),
lip (slang),
temerity,
chutzpah (US, Canadian, informal),
insolence,
impertinence,
effrontery,
brass neck (British, informal),
brazenness,
sassiness (informal)
in the sense of effrontery
Definition
insolence or boldness
He had the effrontery to turn up on my doorstep at 2 in the morning.
Synonyms
insolence,
nerve (informal),
arrogance,
presumption,
face (informal),
front,
neck (informal),
cheek (informal),
assurance,
brass (informal),
gall (informal),
disrespect,
audacity,
boldness,
rudeness,
temerity,
chutzpah (US, Canadian, informal),
impertinence,
impudence,
brashness,
brass neck (British, informal),
shamelessness,
incivility,
cheekiness,
brazenness
in the sense of impertinence
The impertinence of the boy is phenomenal!
Synonyms
rudeness,
nerve (informal),
cheek (informal),
face (informal),
front,
neck (informal),
sauce (informal),
presumption,
disrespect,
audacity,
boldness,
chutzpah (US, Canadian, informal),
insolence,
impudence,
effrontery,
backchat (informal),
brass neck (British, informal),
incivility,
brazenness,
forwardness,
pertness
in the sense of insolence
The most frequent reason for excluding a pupil was insolence.
Synonyms
rudeness,
cheek (informal),
disrespect,
front,
abuse,
sauce (informal),
gall (informal),
audacity,
boldness,
chutzpah (US, Canadian, informal),
insubordination,
impertinence,
impudence,
effrontery,
backchat (informal),
incivility,
sassiness (informal),
pertness,
contemptuousness
in the sense of margin
Definition
an edge, rim, or border
These islands are on the margins of human habitation.