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Tight Lips

What Does "Tight Lips" Mean?

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"Tight lips" is an English idiom. It means "to have firm or closed lips, often used to describe a facial expression."

Examples in Sentences

Here are three examples of the idiom "tight lips" used in a sentence:
  • She maintained tight lips as she concentrated on her meditation practice.
  • The stern teacher kept tight lips during the students' misbehavior, making them uneasy.
  • His tight lips revealed his determination to complete the challenging task.
meaning for tight lips

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Tight Lips" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.

An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.

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