I. ˈlip noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English lippe, lip, from Old English lippa; akin to Old Frisian lippa lip, Old High German leffur & lefs, Old Swedish læpi, Norwegian lepe, and probably to Latin labium, labrum lip, and to Latin labi to slide, glide — more at sleep
1.
a. : either of the two fleshy folds which surround the orifice of the mouth in man and many other vertebrates and in man are organs of speech essential to certain articulations ; also : the pink or reddish margin of a human lip composed of nonglandular mucous membrane
b. : this part of the mouth considered as an organ of speech — used chiefly in plural
taken down from the lips of his mother or teacher — H.E.Scudder
2. slang : saucy or impudent speech
I'll have none of your lip
3. : embouchure 2
4. : an edge of a wound
5. : either of a pair of fleshy folds surrounding an orifice
6. : a liplike anatomical part or structure: as
a. : labium
b. : labellum 1
7.
a. : the edge or margin of a hollow vessel or cavity (as a cup, bell, or crater) especially if it shows a slight flare
slept that night on the lip of a dead volcano — Negley Farson
— see bell illustration
b. : an edge, rim, or margin especially when projecting or overlapping
that narrow lip of rock on the mountain's face — N.C.McDonald
on the lip of the Plymouth beach — Sean O'Dwyer
the car roared up across the lip of the hill — Thomas Wolfe
as
(1) : the edge in a flue pipe (as in a pipe organ) across which a current of air is forced causing a wave motion in the air within the pipe that produces the tone
(2) Britain : the lower part of the roof near a face in a coal mine
(3) : the sharp cutting edge on the end of an auger, drill, or similar tool
(4) : a projection of the top of a railhead at a joint caused by flow of metal under the action of traffic
(5) : a low parapet erected on the downstream edge of a millrace or dam apron to minimize scouring of the river bottom
8. : a short open spout or drip (as on a pitcher)
9. : the lapping of water at the margin
II. adjective
1.
a. of utterance : coming from the lips only without thoughtfulness or without sincerity of intent
lip comfort
lip devotion
lip praise
— compare lip-labor , lip service , lip-worship
b. of a person : speaking or otherwise expressing oneself without thought as to the meaning of the words used or without sincerity
lip comforter
— compare lip server , lip-worshipper
2. : produced with the participation of the lips or one of the lips : labial
lip consonants
III. verb
( lipped ; lipped ; lipping ; lips )
transitive verb
1.
a. : to touch with the lips : put the lips to ; specifically : kiss
a hand that kings have lipped and trembled kissing — Shakespeare
b. : to take into the mouth by action of the lips (as by nipping or sucking) — sometimes used with up
2.
a. : to utter especially in a murmuring voice
b. slang : sing
3. : to fill in the chunks of
lip a wall
4. : to set a piece of wood in (an archer's bow) where a flaw has been cut out
5. : to notch the edge of
lip a sword
6. : to lap against : lave
the water lipped the shingle — R.P.Warren
7. : to rise above (as the horizon or the top of a hill or cliff)
lipping the rim of a long hill street — Thomas Wolfe
8. : to form a lip on (as machine work)
9. : to strike a golf ball so that it hits the edge of (the cup) but fails to drop in
10. : to put (snuff) behind the lip
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to flow over the lip of a container or vessel — used with over or in
b. : to have liquid flowing over the brim or edge — used with over
2. : to form or take the form of a lip
3. : to lap with a splashing noise : plash
4. : to use the lips ; specifically : to adjust one's lips to the mouthpiece of a wind instrument — sometimes used with up
5. : to apply the lips (as in kissing) — used with at