Be quiet or stop talking. A direct command to cease speaking, often used when someone is being too talkative or revealing information they shouldn't.
This phrase gained popularity in the 1930s-1940s, drawing from the zipper's invention in the 1890s. The metaphor compares closing one's mouth to zipping up a garment, creating a vivid image of sealing lips shut.
The phrase brilliantly captures the satisfying 'sealing' quality of zippers - that decisive, complete closure. It's more emphatic than 'be quiet' because it suggests not just stopping speech, but actively preventing any words from escaping.
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