• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / Language / What does the phrase “a stiff upper lip” mean and Where does it originate?

What does the phrase “a stiff upper lip” mean and Where does it originate?

April 16, 2020 by Karen Hill

The phrase “a stiff upper lip” means courage, or stoicism, which one keeps or carries.

The significance of the idiom is well indicated by one of its earliest appearances in print, John Neal’s down Easters (1833):

“What’s the use of boohooin’? Keep a stiff upper lip; no bones broke, don’t I know?”

Related Facts

  • Where does the phrase "all wool and a yard wide" originate and What does it mean?
  • How Did the Phrase "I'll Be Hanged If I Do and Hanged If I Don't" Originate and What Does the Expression Mean?
  • How Did the Expression "Rise and Shine" Originate and What Does the Phrase "Shake a Leg" Mean?
  • What Does the Expression "Spick and Span" Mean and How Did the Phrase Originate?
  • What does the phrase "hue and cry" mean and Where did it originate?
  • What does the phrase "the whole kit and caboodle" mean and Where did it originate?

Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « Where does the expression “to take under one’s wings” come from and What does it mean?
Next Post: Where does the expression “in the doldrums” come from and What does it mean? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2021 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy