Meaning of stiff upper lip | Babel Free

Definitions

The quality of being resolute and showing self-restraint, stereotypically associated with the British; especially as keep a stiff upper lip.

idiomatic

Equivalents

Examples

“I thought now the jig was mighty nigh up with me, but I determined to keep⟳ a stiff upper lip.”

“Stiff upper lip, stout fella. Carry⟳ on, old fluff. Chin up, keep⟳ muddling through. Stiff upper lip, stout fella, when the going’s rough. Pip pip to old man trouble⟳ and a toodle-oo too.[…] Stiff upper lip, stout fella, when you’re in the stew. Sober or blotto, this is your motto. Keep⟳ muddling through.”

“[...] Jeeves came in, bowler hat in hand, to say⟳ goodbye. A solemn moment, taxing our self-control to the utmost. However, we both kept the upper lip stiff, and after we had kidded back and forth for a while he started to withdraw⟳. [...] He poked his head round the tree as I arrived, and when I waved a cheery hand at him, waved a fairly cheery hand at me. Though I only caught a glimpse of him, I could see⟳ that his upper lip was stiff.”

“In typical British stiff upper lip fashion, the tournament organizers expected us to play⟳ into, and through, the menacing weather.”

CEFR level