loose lips sink ships

Shortening of a wartime slogan from World War II.

• IPA^(key): /ˈlus ˈlɪps ˈsɪŋk ˈʃɪps/

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪps

loose lips sink ships

1. Saying too much or releasing confidential information can have dangerous consequences.
   • 2000, Margaret Atwood, The Blind Assassin, Anchor, published 2007, →ISBN, page 448:

     Loose Lips Sink Ships, said the wartime poster. Of course the ships will all sink anyway, sooner or later.

   • 2014, Crystal Chan, Bird, Random House, →ISBN, page 59:

     ‘Loose lips sink ships,’ she spat at Dad once, when they were arguing about Grandpa, but ‘loose lips killed our son.’

• loose lips sink ships on Wikipedia.Wikipedia