What does ‘a stiff upper lip’ mean?
To “a stiff upper lip” means to stoic endurance without complaint. The phrase became associated with British reserve in the 19th and 20th centuries; Brewer's does not fix an origin, and its earliest recorded uses are American.
Origin
- The phrase became associated with British reserve in the 19th and 20th centuries; Brewer's does not fix an origin, and its earliest recorded uses are American.
How to use it
- Often used, sometimes ironically, of unflappable composure.
- Example: He kept a stiff upper lip through the whole ordeal.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.