What it means
If someone's tight-lipped, they're keeping their mouth properly shut and not giving anything away. No clues, no gossip, no handy little slip-up. You use it when someone's being secretive on purpose, whether it's about a surprise, office mess, family drama, or anything else they're dead set on keeping under wraps.
Usage examples
"I asked Mum what she’d bought for Dad’s birthday, but she stayed tight-lipped all week, grinning like she knew something I didn’t."
"She stayed tight-lipped about the wedding date no matter how much we pried."
"The boss was tight-lipped on the layoffs, just nodded and changed the subject."
"Asked him who got the job and he went tight-lipped on me straight away."
"They're all weirdly tight-lipped about Saturday night, so obviously they're plotting something."
Where it comes from
This one's pretty literal. It comes from the image of someone holding their lips tightly closed so nothing comes out. It's been around in English since at least the mid 19th century and stuck because the picture lands fast: shut lips, shut info.
Other ways to say it
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