1. Put a sock in it
impolitely telling someone to stop talking or making a noise
- Couldn’t you put a sock in it? I’d love to do some work, but I can’t in this noise.
- Put a sock in it, there are people who are trying to sleep around here.
2. Cork it / put a cork in it
telling someone to be quiet
- It’s too late and we’re fed up with your stories – cork it and go to sleep.
- Don’t you want to work instead of talking all the time? Cork it and take your tools.
3. Button it
telling someone rudely to be quiet
- Button it, can’t you? I’m trying to concentrate.
- If you don’t button it, I’ll get up and go away.
4. Shut up / shut your pie hole
a rude way to tell someone to be quiet (pie hole = mouth /slang/)
- Shut your pie hole or I’ll shut it for you!
- Shut your pie hole and mind what you’re doing!
5. Zip (up) your lip(s) / zip it up
an informal way to tell someone to be quiet
- Zip your lips, boys, and listen to me.
- We told her to be quiet, but she just couldn’t zip it up.
6. Wind your neck in
a rude way to tell someone to be quiet and/or calm down
- Cool down, buddy, wind your neck in, you’ve made enough troubles already.
- Wind your neck in and sit quiet, we’ve taken the wrong road due to your talking nonsense.
7. Simmer down
calm down after anger or excitement; an informal way to tell someone to cool down
- Please don’t shout, simmer down, there’s no point in rejoicing yet.
- Simmer down, guys, we’d better work first and make a party later.
8. Pipe down
an informal way to tell someone to stop talking and/or to make less noise
- The teacher shouted at the kids to pipe down but all in vain, none of them stopped talking.
- Will you tell your mates to pipe down? I can’t work in this noise.
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