Forms: 1 lippa, 2–7 lippe, (3 leppe), 4–6 lyppe, 5 lyp, (lype), 7 lipp, 4– lip. [OE. lippa wk. masc., corresponds to OFris. lippa masc., MLG., MDu. lippe fem. (whence mod.G. lippe, mod.Du. lip fem.), MSw. lippe, lippa, and läpe, mod.Sw. läpp, Da. læbe:—OTeut. type *lipjon-, cogn. w. the synonymous OSax. lepor, OHG. leffur, lefs masc. (MHG. lefs masc., lefse fem., mod.Ger. dial. lefze fem.):—OTeut. *lepoz-, *leps, f. root *lep-, pre-Teut. *leb-; ablaut-variants occur in L. labium, labrum, and Pehlevi lap (mod.Persian lab) lip. The LG. word was adopted into OF. as lipe, whence mod.F. lippe thick under-lip.]
I. 1. Either of the two fleshy structures that in man and other animals form the edges of the mouth. Distinguished as upper and lower, also as † over (obs.) and under, colloq. or dial. top and bottom lip. Phr. (immersed, steeped) to the lips.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gloss., in Wr.-Wülcker, 157/22. Labium, ufeweard lippa. Labrum, niðera lippe. Rostrum, foreweard feng þære lippena togædere.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., III. 100. Wið lippe sar.
c. 1205. Lay., 29359. Of cnihten he carf þe lippes.
13[?]. K. Alis., 6428. Heo no hath nose, no mouth, no toth, no lippe.
c. 1375. XI Pains of Hell, 81, in O. E. Misc., 213. Þo þat stod vp to þe leppis Be þe seruys of god þai set noȝt by.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XVIII. 52. Poysoun on a pole þei put vp to his lippes.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxii. 100. Men þat hase þe ouer lippe so grete þat, when þai slepe in þe sonne, þai couer all þe visage with þat lippe.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, IX. 1928. His lyppys round, his noys was squar and tret.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, liii. 39. For lauchter nain mycht hald thair lippis.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., II. i. 49. When she drinkes, against her lips I bob. Ibid. (1604), Oth., IV. ii. 50. Had they … Steep’d me in pouertie to the very lippes.
1724. R. Wodrow, Life J. Wodrow, 166. I observed his lips quivering.
1758. J. S., Le Dran’s Observ. Surg. (1771), 37. A cancerous Tumour on the Middle of the Under-Lip.
1822. Shelley, Fragm. Unfinished Drama, 113. Some said he was … steeped in bitter infamy to the lips.
1836. Yarrell, Brit. Fishes (1859), I. 449. [The Loach] … with four barbels or cirri … on the upper lip in the front.
1883. R. W. Dixon, Mano, I. xvi. 51. To the lips was he in luxury immersed.
1891. T. Hardy, Tess, II. xxii. The little upward lift in the middle of her top lip.
† b. Proverbs. (See also LETTUCE 2.) Obs.
1546. J. Heywood, Prov. (1867), 77. He can yll pype, that lackth his vpper lyp.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., II. Hist. Scot., 464. A man cannot pipe without his vpper lip.
† c. transf. or fig. in phr. the lip (? = point) of a lance. Obs.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 10139. With the lippe of þere launsis so launchet þai somyn. Ibid., 10147.
2. In phrases referring to certain actions regarded as indicative of particular states of feeling. To bite one’s lip or † on one’s lip, (a) to show vexation. (b) to repress emotion; to carry or keep a stiff upper lip, to keep one’s courage, not to lose heart; in bad sense, to be hard or obstinate; to curl one’s lip (see CURL v. 3 b); † to fall a lip of contempt, to express contempt by the movement of the lip; † to hang the lip, to look vexed (cf. HANG v. 4 b); to lay (a person) on the lips, to kiss (see LAY v. 34); to lick one’s lips (see LICK v. 1 b); † to make (up) a lip, to frame the lips so as to express vexation or merriment at; to pout or poke fun at [cf. F. faire sa lippe]; to smack one’s lips, to express relish for food, fig. to express delight.
1330. [see BITE v. 16].
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. V. 67. For wraþþe he bot his lippes.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 283. And go so forth as I go may, Fulofte bitinge on my lippe.
1546. Bp. Gardiner, Declar. Art. Joye, 46 b. Eyther they make a lyppe at it, or yelde with silence to seme to gyue place to auctoritie for the tyme.
1557. Seager, Sch. Vertue, 455, in Babees Bk. Not smackyng thy lyppes As comonly do hogges.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 846. The Erle … was therewithall a little vexed, & began somwhat to hang the lip.
1607. Shaks., Cor., II. i. 127. I will make a Lippe at the Physician. Ibid. (1611), Wint. T., I. ii. 373. Hee … falling A Lippe of much contempt, speedes from me.
1781. Mad. D’Arblay, Diary, 14 Sept. Was not that a speech to provoke Miss Grizzle herself? However, I only made up a saucy lip.
1833. J. Neal, Down Easters, I. ii. 15. ‘What’s the use o’ boo-hooin’?… Keep a stiff upper lip; no bones broke—don’t I know?’
1837. Haliburton, Clockm., Ser. I. xxv. She used to carry a stiff upper lip, and make him and the broomstick well acquainted together.
1837. Dickens, Pickwick, xlv. He then drank … and smacking his lips, held out the tumbler for more.
1840. Browning, Sordello, II. 70. He … Biting his lip to keep down a great smile Of pride.
3. Chiefly pl. Considered as one of the organs of speech; often in figurative contexts. (In early examples chiefly in literalisms from the Vulg.) † To lift or move a lip: to utter even the slightest word against. To escape (a person’s) lips: see ESCAPE v. To hang on (a person’s) lips: to listen with rapt attention to his speech.
c. 1020. Rule St. Benet (Logeman), xxxviii. (1888), 69. Mine lippan þu ʓeopena & min muð.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 158. Ich am a man mid suilede lippen.
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 266/192. Heo ne wawede leome non bote hire lippene vnneþe Ȝware-with heo seide hire oresun.
a. 1310. in Wright, Lyric P., ix. 34. Heo hath a mury mouht to mele, With lefly rede lippes lele, Romaunz forte rede.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxxv. (Thadee), 147. Na ȝet þi lyppis suld nocht be opnyt to pray the trinite.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 132. And the locke of good aduysement shall be set on our lyppes.
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 42/2. We may not once moue the lippe against them.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., II. ii. 78. Mercie then will breathe within your lips. Ibid. (1606), Tr. & Cr., I. iii. 240. Peace Troyan, lay thy finger on thy lips.
1625. Bacon, Ess., Of Atheism (Arb.), 333. Atheisme is rather in the Lip, than in the Heart of Man.
1667. Milton, P. L., VIII. 56. From his Lip Not Words alone pleas’d her.
1704. Good Expedient for Innoc. & Peace, in Harl. Misc. (1746), VIII. 14/2. It might appear a Crime to lift a Lip against, or return any Answer to this Objection.
1781. Cowper, Expost., 44. Hypocrisy, formality in prayer, And the dull service of the lip, were there.
1842. Tennyson, Gardener’s Dau., 50. Not less among us lived Her fame from lip to lip.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xi. III. 127. John Hampden … produced a composition … too vituperative to suit the lips of the Speaker.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), III. 238. Unless I hear the contrary from your own lips.
1882. Farrar, Early Chr., II. 427. If the Christianity of the lips is consistent with anti-Christianity of life.
† b. sing. Language; chiefly in phrase, of one lip (a Hebraism); also used for ‘agreeing in one story.’ lit. and fig. Obs.
1382. Wyclif, Gen. xi. 1. Forsothe the erthe was of oo lip [1388 langage], and of the same wordis.
1677. Yarranton, Eng. Improv., 174. [The poor Clothiers of Worcester] are all of one Lip, a bad Trade, and they do not know when it will mend [etc.].
1681. Whole Duty Nations, 15. In parts remote one from another, and of a divers lip or language.
1695. Ld. Preston, Boeth., II. 90. This, People of a different Lip doth bind With sacred Cords.
c. slang. Saucy talk, impudence.
1821. Life D. Haggart (ed. 2), 20. I was at no loss in vindicating myself and giving him plenty of lip.
1884. ‘Mark Twain,’ Huck. Finn, v. 31. ‘Don’t you give me none o’ your lip,’ says he.
1895. Crockett, Cleg Kelly, xx. (1896), 152. Says Sal to me, ‘None of your lip.’
II. Something resembling the lips of the mouth.
4. The margin of a cup or any similar vessel; e.g., of a bell.
1592. R. D., Hypnerotomachia, 60. And in the bearing out of the lippe of the vessell ouer the perpendicular poynt of the heade there was fastened a rynge.
1660. Boyle, New Exp. Phys. Mech., Proem 9. The Orifice [of a vessel] is incircled with a lip of Glass, almost an inch high.
1684. T. Burnet, Th. Earth, I. viii. I. 102. The Sea … bounded against those Hills … as the ledges or lips of its Vessel.
1758. Reid, trans. Macquer’s Chem., I. 321. Raise the coals quite to the lip of the crucible.
1810. E. D. Clarke, Trav. Russia (1839), 31/1. The fracture had taken place … seven feet high from the lip of the bell.
1830. Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. IV. 259. A small brown pitcher with the lip broken.
1847. C. Brontë, Jane Eyre, xx. He held out the tiny glass … ‘Now wel the lip of the phial.’
1884. F. J. Britten, Watch & Clockm., 156. [The] Lips … [are] the rounded edges of the cylinder in a Cylinder Escapement.
b. The edge of any opening or cavity, esp. of the crater of a volcano.
1726. Leoni, trans. Alberti’s Archit., I. 38/1. The Lips of the Apertures.
1830. Lyell, Princ. Geol., I. 341. Every stream of lava descending from the lips of the crater.
1855. Stephens, Bk. Farm (ed. 2), II. 575/2. The remainder should be placed on the ditch lip on the headridge.
1878. Huxley, Physiogr., 190. The partially-molten rock … may eventually run over the lip of the crater.
1879. ‘E. Garrett’ (Mrs. Mayo), House by Works, II. 106. Crouching … under the heathery lip of the chasm.
c. In wider sense: Any edge or rim, esp. one that projects; spec. in Coal-mining (see quot. 1883).
1608. Willet, Hexapla Exod., 589. Certaine claspes which … caught holde of the edge or lip of the table.
1813. Sporting Mag., XLII. 130. The lip of the hammer [of a gun] overhangs the upper edge of the inclined plane.
1839. Murchison, Silur. Syst., I. xxix. 379. Round the northern lip of this coal tract.
1883. Gresley, Gloss. Coal-mining, Lip,… the low part of the roof of a gate-road near to the face; taken down or ripped, as it is called, as the face advances.
1890. J. Service, Thir Notandums, xv. 102. The Laird o’ Auchinskeich had a bit mailin’ on the lip o’ the moss.
5. In scientific and technical uses.
a. Surg. One of the edges of a wound.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 35. Be war þat … no þing … þat lettiþ consolidacioun, falle bitwene þe lippis of þe wounde.
1541. R. Copland, Galyen’s Terap., 2 F iv. Yf the lyppes of the vlcere appere harde and stony, they must be cutte.
1685. Boyle, Enq. Notion Nat., 333. The Chirurgeon does often hinder Nature from closing up the Lips of a Wound.
1758. J. S., Le Dran’s Observ. Surg. (1771), Introd. 3. The Lips of a Wound must be joined.
1807–26. S. Cooper, First Lines Surg. (ed. 5), 288. As soon as the bones are reduced, the lips of the wound are to be accurately brought together.
1889. in Syd. Soc. Lex.
b. Anat. and Zool. = LABIUM or LABRUM.
1597. [see LABIUM 1 a].
1611. Cotgr., Landies, the two Pterigones, or great wings within the lips of a womans Priuities.
1722. [see LABIUM 1 b].
1828, 1862. [see LABIUM 2].
1875. Encycl. Brit. (ed. 2), II. 280/2. (Arachnida), A rudimentary sternal lip (labium).
1880. [see LABRUM].
1901. Gray’s Anat. (ed. 15), 631. The central lobe or island of Reil lies deeply in the Sylvian fissure, and can only be seen when the lips of that fissure are widely separated.
c. Bot. (a) One of the two divisions of a bilabiate corolla or calyx. (b) = LABELLUM 1.
1776. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., Explan. Terms 395. Ringens, gaping, irregular, with two lips.
1776–96. Withering, Brit. Plants (ed. 3), II. 41. Lip scolloped, blunt, longer than the petals.
1807. J. E. Smith, Phys. Bot., 434. Ajuga [has] scarcely any upper lip at all.
1832. Lindley, Introd. Bot., I. ii. § 7. 118. The lower lip or labellum, the latter term is chiefly applied to the lower lip of Orchideous plants.
1892. Garden, 27 Aug., 164. Orchids. Cattleya Schilleriana.… The lip is three-lobed.
d. Conch. One of the edges of the aperture of a spiral shell.
1681. Grew, Musæum, 124. Note, That when I speak of the Right or Left Lip of a Shell, I mean, as it is held with the Mouth downward.
1851. Ruskin, Stones Ven., I. xx. 216. One of the innumerable groups of curves at the lip of a paper Nautilus.
1866. Tate, Brit. Mollusks, iii. 45. The outer lip is thin, not thickened or reflected as in the majority of the land shells.
e. Mech. In various senses (see quots.).
c. 1850. Rudim. Navig. (Weale), 130. Lips of scarphs. The substance left at the ends, which would otherwise become sharp, and be liable to split, and, in other cases, could not bear caulking.
1884. Knight, Dict. Mech., Suppl., Lip, the helical blade on the end of an auger to cut the chip.
1898. Cycling, 53. Split bracket; ‘lips’ compressed by screw bolt.
f. Organ-building. (See quot. 1876.)
1727–52. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Organ, Over this aperture is the mouth BBCC; whose upper lip, CC, being level, cuts the wind as it comes out at the aperture.
1852. Seidel, Organ, 79. The good intonation, or speaking of a pipe, depends on the correct position of the lips.
1876. Hiles, Catech. Organ, iv. (1878), 24. Above and below [the mouth of an organ pipe] are two edges called the lips.
1881. C. A. Edwards, Organs, 128. The opening between the lips of a pipe is called ‘the mouth.’
6. attrib. and Comb. a. simple attributive: (a) belonging to a lip or lips, as in lip-end, -favo(u)r, -hair, -position, -quiver, -smile; also lip-like adj.
1874. Thearle, Naval Archit., 70. Sometimes, only those at the *lip ends of the scarphs are left.
1592. Greene, Philomela (1615), E 2. Lutesio kind, gaue the Gentlewoman a kisse: for he thought she valued a *lip fauour more then a peece of gold.
1873. W. Cory, Lett. & Jrnls. (1897), 325. Snobs and gents, and men with waxed *lip-hair.
1836–9. Todd, Cycl. Anat., II. 543/1. The *lip-like folds of skin before the membrana tympani.
1870. Rolleston, Anim. Life, 128. The upper lip-like portion of the anterior suckers.
1632. Massinger, Maid of Hon., IV. iii. His house full Of children, clyents, servants, flattering friends, Soothing his *lip-positions.
1851. H. Melville, Whale, xxxiv. 167. Dough-Boy’s life was one continual *lip-quiver.
1871. G. Meredith, H. Richmond, xvii. She had her lips tight in a mere *lip-smile.
(b) In uses relating to the lips as the organs of speech (sense 3), chiefly with the implication ‘merely from the lips, not heartfelt,’ as in lip-babble, -Christian, -comfort, -comforter, -cozenage, -devotion, † -gospeller, -holiness, -homage, -love, † -lusciousness, -physic, -religion, -resignation, -revel, -reverence, -reward, -righteousness, -wisdom; lip-†good, -holy, -learned, -wise adjs.
1895. Zangwill, Master, I. vi. 70. Were these things, then, merely *lip-babble?
1882. Farrar, Early Chr., I. 448, note. He is speaking, not of *lip-Christians but, of converts who lapse into ‘wretchlessness of unclean living.’
1632. Massinger, Maid of Hon., III. i. *Lip comfort cannot cure me.
a. 1815. Southey, Soldier’s Funeral, 43. Reverend *lip-comforters that once a week Proclaim how blessed are the poor.
1627. E. F., Hist. Edw. II. (1680), 40. Pretends himself, with a new strain of *Lip-cousenage, to be the Heir of Edward the First.
1607. Hieron, Wks., I. 292. There may be somewhat like prayer, which yet is not prayer, but *lip-deuotion.
1603. B. Jonson, Sejanus, I. ii. But, when his Grace is merely but *lip-good, And that [etc.].
1558. E. P., trans. Cranmer’s Confut. Unwrit. Verities, Pref. A iiij. We were … *lippe gospellers, from the mouth outeward and no farther.
1624. Davenport, City Nt.-cap, I. i. She that is *lip-holy Is many times heart-hollow.
1591. Greene, Maiden’s Dream, in Shaks. Soc. Papers (1845), II. 141. *Lip-holines in Cleargie men [Dyce suggests Lip-holy Clergie men] he could not brooke.
1858. R. A. Vaughan, Ess. & Rem., I. 46. The transcendentalist bestows upon it [Christianity] his *lip-homage.
1683. Tryon, Way to Health, 531. The fashion which our *Lip-learned Physitians and Apothecaries … practice is this [etc.].
a. 1703. Burkitt, On N. T., Philem. 7. There is a frozen charity, and a *lip-love found among many professors, whom Christ will disown at the great day.
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, I. iv. 10. Some conceive voluptuousnesse thereby is forbidden; others *lip-lusciousnesse and hypocrisie in divine service.
a. 1625. Beaum. & Fl., Lover’s Progr., I. i. This is cold comfort, And, in a friend, *lip-physic.
1597. J. Payne, Royal Exch., 14. These marchants deceyve moche by there paynted faulshode and *lipp religion.
1876. Geo. Eliot, Dan. Der., IV. lxix. 353. The Invisible Power that has been the object of … *lip-resignation.
1815. Milman, Fazio (1821), 42. ’Tis an old tale Thy fond *lip-revel on a lady’s beauties.
c. 1843. Carlyle, Hist. Sk. Jas. I. & Chas. I. (1898), 204. Not with *lip-reverence but heart-reverence.
1595. Markham, Sir R. Grinvile, l. To euery act shee giues huge *lyp-reward.
1801. Southey, Thalaba, V. xxxv. For the dupes Of human-kind keep this *lip-righteousness!
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, I. (1629), 65. All is but *lip-wisedom, which wants experience.
1603. Florio, Montaigne, I. li. (1632), 166. They only are good Pretors, to do justice in the Citie, that are subtile, cautelous, wily and *lip-wise.
b. objective and obj. genitive, as lip-biting, -feeding, -treatment; lip-blushing, -dewing, adjs.
a. 1734. North, Exam., III. viii. § 10 (1740), 589. How they had posted themselves in the View of the Prisoner, and made Signals at all Turns with Winks and *Lipbitings.
c. 1588. Kyd, 1st Pt. Jeronimo (1605), B. By this *lip blushing kisse.
1791–3. Wordsw., Descr. Sk., 132. *Lip-dewing song.
1647. Trapp, Comm. Matt. xiii. 52. God hath purposely put honey and milk under their tongues … that they may look to *lip-feeding.
1897. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., III. 343. Neglect of this precaution is almost certain to produce failure of the *lip-treatment.
c. instrumental and locative, as lip-bearded, -born, -licked adjs.
1615. A. Niccholes, Marr. & Wiving, vi. 17. Meere Croanes … *lip-bearded, as wiches.
1872. Geo. Eliot, Middlem., ixxx. IV. 279. Why had he brought his cheap regard and his *lip-born words to her who had nothing paltry to give in exchange?
1632. Lithgow, Trav., I. 4. Clouted complements, stolne Phrases, and *lip-licked labours, of lamp-liuing spirits.
7. Special comb.: lip-auger (see quot.); † lip-berry, ? any small red berry, esp. that of the Arum; lip-bit (see quot.); lip-blossomed a. (nonce-wd.), labiate; lip-bolt = lip-head bolt; † lip-clip, a kiss; lip-fern (see quot.); lip-full a. dial., full to the lips; † lip-glass (see quot.); lip-head bolt (see quot.); lip-hook, (a) the upper hook of several on a line, which is put through the lip of a live bait; (b) ‘a grapnel for catching in the lip of the whale, to tow it to the vessel’ (Knight); lip-language, (in the instruction of the deaf and dumb) language communicated by movements of the lips; † lip-letter, a labial (see LABIAL sb. 1); † lip-lick, a kiss; lip-piece, a plug of wood thrust through the lip and worn as an ornament; lip-pipe Organ-building, a flue-pipe; lip-plate, the hypostome of trilobites (Cent. Dict.); lip-plug = lip-piece; lip-reading, (in the instruction of the deaf and dumb) the apprehending of what another says by watching the movements of his lips; lip-ring, a ring passed through the lip, and worn as an ornament; lip-speaking, speaking to one who is deaf by means of movements of the lips (cf. lip-reading); lip-spine Conch., a spine on the edge of a shell (Cent. Dict.); lip-strap (see quot.); lip-sworn a., that has taken an oath of secrecy; lip-thatch (jocular), a moustache; lip-tooth, a tooth on the lip of a shell; lip-vein, a labial vein (see LABIAL a. 1 b); lip-wing (jocular), a moustache; lip-work = LIP-LABOUR (so lip-working adj.); lip-wort seed nonce-wd. (humorous) = idle talk. Also LIP-DEEP, LIP-LABOUR, LIP-SALVE, LIP-SERVICE, LIP-WORSHIP.
1884. Knight, Dict. Mech., Suppl. s.v. Lip, A *lip auger has pod and lip; in contradistinction to the screw auger.
a. 1613. Dennys, Secr. Angling, II. xxxv. C 8 b. *Lip berries from the bryar bush or weede.
1681. Chetham, Angler’s Vade-m., iv. § 27 (1689), 27. Lip-berries. Whose true name is Aron berries or Berries of Cookow-pints or Wake-Robin.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., *Lip-bit, a boring tool adapted to be used in a brace, and having a cutting lip projecting beyond the end of the barrel.
1876. E. R. Lankester, Hist. Creation, I. i. 15. The great natural family of *lip-blossomed plants.
1874. Thearle, Naval Archit., 38. These *lip bolts are likewise shown.
1606. Wily Beguiled, 21. A Maid cannot loue, or catch a *lip clip or lap clap, but heers such tittle tattle.
1890. Century Dict., *Lip-fern, a fern of the genus Cheilanthes; in allusion to the lip-like indusium.
1822. H. Ainslie, Land of Burns, 16. The recent rains have … swollen the river *lip full.
1825. T. Cosnett, Footman’s Directory, 128. Two sets of finger-glasses, and *lip-glasses for the company to wash their mouths in.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., *Lip-head Bolt, a bolt with a head projecting sideways.
1870. Cholmondeley-Pennell, Mod. Pract. Angler, 12. The *lip-hook is a very important portion of the spinning-flight. Ibid., 208. The single lip-hook is passed through the upper lip of the bait.
1879. Calderwood, Mind & Br., 209. The German method of instructing deaf-mutes by *lip-language.
1591. R. Percivall, Sp. Dict., B is a *lip-letter.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, I. (Arb.), 40. When she shal embrace thee, when *lyplicks sweetlye she fastneth.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 111, note. This custom of the women’s wearing the *‘lip-piece’ by way of ornament.
1855. Hopkins, Organ, 354. *Lip, mouth, or flue pipes … are such as have an oblong opening, called the mouth … bounded above and below by two edges called the lips; which are made to sound by the wind first passing through a narrow fissure, flue, or wind-way.
1876. [see LABIAL A. 1 c].
1894. Nation (N.Y.), 14 June, 451/1. The Suyá are made fun of for their *lip-plug, or botoco.
1874. Carpenter, Ment. Phys., § 185 a. 204. It has long been known that individuals among the Deaf-and-Dumb have acquired the power of *‘lip-reading.’
1866. Livingstone, Last Jrnls., I. i. 24. The teeth are filed to points, and huge *lip-rings are worn by the women.
1880. Times, 28 Sept., 9/5. If *lip-speaking could not be taught, the deaf, while they must have continued a community apart, would have [etc.].
1876. Voyle & Stevenson, Milit. Dict., 232. *Lip-strap, a small strap with a buckle passing from one cheek of the bit through a ring in the centre of the curb chain to the other cheek, for the purpose of preventing the horse from seizing the cheek of the bit in his mouth.
1602. Middleton, Blurt Master-Const., III. iii. E 4 b. Your *lip-sworne seruant may there visit you as a Physition.
1892. R. Kipling, Barrack-r. Ballads, 167. For each man knows, ere his *lip-thatch grows, he is master of Art and Truth.
1886. E. D. Cope, Origin Fittest, v. (1887), 178. The *lip-teeth characteristic of the genus Triodopsis.
1597. A. M., trans. Guillemeau’s Fr. Chirurg., 29 b/2. The seaventh is the *lippe vayne, whereof on each syde are two.
1825. C. M. Westmacott, Engl. Spy, II. 58. Twirled the dexter side of his *lip-wing.
1616. B. Jonson, Devil an Ass, I. ii. Fitz. … And I except all kissing … I forbid all *lip-work.
1649. Milton, Eikon., i. Wks. 1851, III. 344. Manuals, and Handmaids of Devotion, the lip-work of every Prelatical Liturgist, clapt together, and quilted out of Scripture phrase.
1894. Ld. Wolseley, Life Marlborough, II. lxix. 231. There can be no doubt … that Marlborough did make these protestations of penitence while imploring James’s pardon. But it was all lip-work.
1642. Milton, Apol. Smect., Wks. 1851, III. 311. Their office is to pray for others. And not to be the *lip-working deacons of other mens appointed words.
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 211. Lyuerwort I haue none: but *Lipwort seede I haue.
