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THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE

Zip your lip

Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.

01 / UNDERSTAND

Meaning in plain English

To stop talking or keep something a secret.

02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT

The expression in a sentence

  1. Zip your lip about the surprise party—it’s a secret!

03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Quick idiom quiz

Try the question without looking back, then write a sentence of your own. You can retry as often as you like.

Can you recall the expression?

Complete the example using the expression from this lesson.

________ about the surprise party—it’s a secret!
Show the answer

Zip your lip — To stop talking or keep something a secret.

Try your own sentence (optional)

Make it yours

Write one sentence using “Zip your lip” about your own life.

Check your sentence

Does your sentence match this meaning?

To stop talking or keep something a secret.

Compare: Zip your lip about the surprise party—it’s a secret!

Check the spelling and how the expression fits the sentence. Your example can be different.

Self-review only. Your sentence is not automatically marked, saved or submitted.

This quiz is for practice. To save lesson completion on this device, complete the checks in the app.

GO DEEPER

More ways to understand and use it

How to use this expression

This is a very informal instruction to stop talking or keep a secret. As a direct command it can sound rude, especially to someone you do not know well. “Please keep this private” is more suitable when a polite request is needed.

More examples

He reminded his brother to zip his lip about the surprise.

I promised to zip my lip until the announcement was ready.

Check your understanding

How could you express the request more politely in a work email?

Answer: Please keep this information private until we make the announcement.

Change the request to suit the listener

A friend says, “Zip your lip about my surprise!” You need to make the same request in a message to a new colleague.

Think it through: How could you preserve the meaning while making the tone more courteous?

Check the explanation

“Please keep the surprise confidential until Friday.” The direct command “Zip your lip” can sound abrupt or rude, particularly without an established friendly relationship. “I’ll zip my lip” is a promise about your own speech, so it has a different interpersonal effect.

Your turn: Write both a polite request and a friendly promise about keeping a surprise.

Compare expressions: Secrets, silence and ignoring problems

Keeping quiet does not always mean ignoring a problem. Compare an instruction to stop talking, revealing a secret and deliberately overlooking something wrong.

Try the situation question and check your answer →

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