Mouths Shut Quotes & Sayings

You don't get black power by chanting it. You get it by doing what the other groups have done. The Irish kept quiet. They didn't shout "Irish Power", "Jew Power", [or] "Italian Power". They kept their mouths shut and took over the police department of New York City, and the mayorship of Boston. — Whitney M. Young

I was thinking how much trouble people get into because they can't keep their mouths shut. — Jack McDevitt

A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered. 28 Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent. — Anonymous

Knowing when to keep your mouth shut is invariably more important than opening it at the right time. — Malcolm Forbes

The voice of experience keeps its mouth shut. — Al Bernstein

Maverick techs who liked earning danger money and had proven they could keep their mouths shut. — William Gibson

The problem, as Eric saw it, was natural selection. He had alluded to the concept on his Web site; here he explained - relentlessly. Natural selection had failed. Man had intervened. Medicines, vaccines, and special ed programs had conspired to keep the rejects in the human herd. So Eric was surrounded by inferiors - who would not shut their freaking mouths! How could he tolerate all the miserable chatter? — Dave Cullen

If your mind isn't open, keep your mouth shut too. — Sue Grafton

I close my mouth and shut my eyes. I can feel the tears building the tears building up again. I beg myself not to cry, not here, not in assembly with Sally right next to me so desperate for me to crumble. I feel a finger tap on my left shoulder. Sally, to my right doesn't notice. I look back. It's Renee.
'Welcome back,' she mouths. Apparently not bothered that a teacher might see.
I smile for the first time in nine days. — Dawn O'Porter

There was one difference I would come to realize, between white kids and Indians. Among white kids there are tattletales everywhere. Indians? An Indian wouldn't tattle to save his own mother. Indians, over the years, have learned the value of keeping their mouths shut. — Brady Udall

X + Y + Z
X is work.
Y is play.
Z is keep your mouth shut. — Albert Einstein

Grandparents who want to be truly helpful will do well to keep their mouths shut and their opinions to themselves until these are requested. — T. Berry Brazelton

Players have two things to do. Play and keep their mouths shut. — Sparky Anderson

Most men talk too much. Much of my success has been due to keeping my mouth shut. — J. Ogden Armour

I'm running my mouth a lot and I'm looking for a guy to shut me up. If you don't shut me up, I'm going to keep running my mouth. — Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Spend as much time as you can with your mouth shut and your eyes and ears open. — John Jakes

Women need not always keep their mouths shut and their wombs open. — Emma Goldman

If you feel driven to feed the poor, get your checkbook out and keep your tyrannical mouth shut about it. — Lewis Goldberg

One idiot can shut 1000 wise men mouths, where as 1000 wise will fail to open the eyes of an idiot. — Yssubramanyam

Keep your mouth shut and your eyes open. — Samuel Palmer

The fundamentalists are increasing. People, afraid to oppose those fundamentalists, shut their mouths. It is really very difficult to make people move against a sensitive issue like religion, which is the source of fundamentalism. — Taslima Nasrin

I keep my mouth shut now. I've turned into a professional coward. — Hunter S. Thompson

Shut your role and know your mouth. — Mick Foley

I've got to learn to keep my mouth shut. — Gabrielle

Sophie seemed to understand sisterhood. Sometimes sisters need to shut their mouths and drop it. This was definitely one of those times. — Joanna Wylde

Know your roll and shut your mouth! — Dwayne Johnson

Since I had met him, it had occurred to me that it would probably be amazing what we could all see and hear if we would just shut our mouths a little more, and stop trying to constantly hear our own voice. — Mia Sheridan

He thought of the Finishing School for Barbies where long-legged, high-breasted, stomachless girls went to get shaved clean, get their toenails painted pink, their nipples removed, and all body opening sewn shut, except for their mouths, which curved in perpetual smiles and led nowhere. — Kate Wilhelm

Every Forsaken in a mile radius can probably hear you. You're just asking for trouble if you two don't stop whipping out the measuring stick."
"It's his fault," Avery snaps, pointing at Julian.
"Shut up, ya wanker."
They start in on each other again. They yell as if they both have megaphones to their mouths, standing inches apart. Each vulgar insult is more illogical than the last. — Laura Kreitzer

I matched my heated tone with one of pure ice. "I believe I did attempt to relate to you the facts of my calls and you interrupted me with a rather magnificent display of temper much as you are doing now. If you do not have all the facts of the case perhaps you have no one but yourself to blame." Brisbane opened his mouth and shut it with a snap. His mouth remained closed but I could hear him muttering under his breath. "What are you saying?" "I am counting. To one hundred. In Cantonese. — Deanna Raybourn

There might be people out there who wouldn't hire me because they thought I should keep my mouth shut, but I'm not aware of that. Even if I saw evidence of that, it wouldn't really concern me. — Viggo Mortensen

Pride is what keeps us from celebrating what others have accomplished. Pride is what causes us to keep our mouths shut when we should be pouring on the praise. — Andy Stanley

There is a great deal of trouble in this world which is not caused by people keeping their mouths shut. — Myrtle Reed

God revealed himself through the Law, which pointed to Christ as its end and goal, commanded the obedience that comes from faith, increased transgressions, and shut the mouths of all humans because no one has performed the righteousness of the Law so as not to need a substitute. — John Piper

I am your instructor", he says."My name is Four".
Christina asks, "Four? Like the number?"
"Yes", Four says. "Is there a problem?"
"No."
"Good. We're about to go into the Pit, which you will someday learn to love. It-"
Christina snickers. "The Pit? Clever name."
Four walks up to Christina and leans his face close to hers. His eyes narrow, and for a second he just stares at her.
"What's your name?" he asks quietly.
"Christina", she squeaks.
"Well, Christina, if I wanted to put up with Candor smart-mouths, I would have joined their faction", he hisses.
"The first lesson you will learn from me is to keep your mouth shut.Got that? — Veronica Roth

I learned a lot about humility and patience, keeping my mouth shut. — Madonna Ciccone

If at the cross every sin was covered, Satan's mouth is shut. He has no weapon. He can gum you but his fangs are gone. — John Piper

Some taxpayers close their eyes, some stop their ears, some shut their mouths, but all pay through the nose. — Evan Esar

If I kept my mouth shut, because I can make millions, that isn't doing nothing. — Muhammad Ali

Sometimes a savage beauty lured me into the sun and I would start to love the danger a little. On these occasions I felt the reluctant love drained painfully from me as blood drains from a deep wound. The tigers lapped my love's blood and remained enemies. The inhabitants of the day laughed at the gift I wanted to bring them, and I shut myself in my inner room to escape the betrayal of their arrogant mouths. — Anna Kavan

As for everyone else, unless you have been shot at by the Taliban, shut your mouth, war is hell. — Allen West

I told him that my own opinion was that the time now and the method now to deal with Russia was to keep our mouths shut and let our actions speak for words. — Henry L. Stimson

When you are in it up to your ears, keep your mouth shut. — Georges Duhamel

American culture in particular has instilled in us the bizarre notion that to ask for help amounts to an admission of failure. But some of the most powerful, successful, admired people in the world seem, to me, to have something in common: they ask constantly, creatively, compassionately, and gracefully. And to be sure: when you ask, there's always the possibility of a no on the other side of the request. If we don't allow for that no, we're not actually asking, we're either begging or demanding. But it is the fear of the no that keeps so many of our mouths sewn tightly shut. — Amanda Palmer

You learn something new everyday." "What are you learning?" Sophos asked. "To keep my mouth shut, I hope. — Megan Whalen Turner

What are you doi - " My words are swallowed up as his lips crash down on mine. It isn't a soft kiss - it's intense, furious, in a way I never knew a kiss could be, his lips hard and unforgiving against mine. It's a shut-up-I-hate-you kiss. A you-drive-me-crazy kiss. An if-I-don't-kiss-you-I'll-kill-you kiss. It's a battle - our mouths are opposite fronts, fighting for ground, warring for control. I shove his chest. He bites my lip. I nip his tongue. He tugs my hair. The kiss goes wild as my other arm winds around him, clutching the back of his shirt, my nails raking against the fabric. — Julie Johnson

Some times I need to apologize, sometimes I need to admit that I ain't right, sometimes I should just keep my mouth shut, or only say hello, sometimes I still feel I'm walking alone. — Billie Joe Armstrong

The sane understand that human beings are incapable of sustaining conspiracies on a grand scale, because some of our most defining qualities as a species are inattention to detail, a tendency to panic, and an inability to keep our mouths shut. — Dean Koontz

I expected Abe to yell for everyone to shut up or something like that. Of course, Nathan had been trying that for a while with no results. So, I was quite shocked-as was everyone else- when Abe put a finger to his lips and let out the most ear-piercing whistle I had ever heard. A whistle like that through a microphone? Yeah. It hurt my ears. It had to be worse for the Moroi, and the screeching feedback in the speakers didn't help.
The room quieted enough for him to be heard. "Now that you have some sense to keep your mouths shut," said Abe,"we have ... some things to say. — Richelle Mead

Face it," Gary told her kindly. "You'll never catch up. You just do as much as you can and take the punishments without saying anything. Sometimes I wonder if that isn't what they're really trying to teach us
to take plenty and keep our mouths shut. — Tamora Pierce

Love with your mouth shut, help without breaking your ass or publicizing it: keep cool, but care. — Thomas Pynchon

The best thing you can probably do is keep a low profile, keep your eyes and ears open, your mouth shut, and you will learn a ton. — CM Punk

I'm not preparing our kids for a gentle world, full of interesting and stimulating experiences. I'm getting them ready to keep their damn mouths shut while some idiot tells them what to do. I'm preparing them to keep a sense of self when they can't define themselves by their work because the likeliest scenario is that (unlike doctors and lawyers and bankers) they will not want to. I'm getting them ready to scrap and hustle and pursue happiness despite the struggle. I — Linda Tirado

The one thing I learned is not to say anything about my own paintings. Keep my mouth shut. You'll never stop hearing what you said. It will come back to you again and again, people will always tell you about it. Even if you were the source of what's wrong with it. — Frank Stella

Things got out of hand. It happens."
My brows flew up. "It happens? Often? Do you just walk around and happen to end up kissing girls? Do you slip and fall on girls' mouths? If so, that's got to be an awkward life to live."
"Well ... " The quirk to his lips was mischievous and teasing, but I was so not having it. He sighed. "Tess, you're a beautiful girl and I'm a guy and - "
"Oh, shut up."
His eyes widened.
"Don't even finish what will most likely be the lamest sentence in the history of lame sentences. You're attracted to me. — J. Lynn

I rolled my eyes as the elevator door opened. 'I was thinking more along the lines of Tick and Tock. You know they won't
'
'Holy shit, boss! Did you beat him up with your mouth?' Tick exclaimed loudly as he stood from his perch near the elevator doors.
'
keep their mouths shut,' I muttered.
'Jesus,' Tock whispered. 'Gay sex is hardcore.' He jumped up and stood next to me, not knowing what personal space meant. 'I think he was trying to eat you,' he told me.
'Or something,' I agreed. — T.J. Klune

Do good even to the wicked; it is as well to shut a dog's mouth with a crumb. — Saadi

If a fool keeps his mouth shut, there will be no difference of opinion. — Muhammad Taqi Usmani

No word in our language not even "Socialism" has been employed more loosely than " Mysticism ." ... The history of the word begins in close connexion with the Greek mysteries. A mystic is one who has been, or is being, initiated into some esoteric knowledge of Divine things, about which he must keep his mouth shut ... — William Ralph Inge

I've already instructed the
others to keep their mouths shut."
"Even Hyacinth?" Penelope asked doubtfully.
"Especially Hyacinth."
"Did you bribe her?" Violet asked. "Because it won't work unless you
bribe her."
"Good Lord," Colin muttered. "One would think I'd joined this family
yesterday. Of course I bribed her." He turned to Penelope. "No offense to
recent additions."
"Oh, none taken. — Julia Quinn

He bent down to her; their mouths met again, and the shock of sensation was so strong, so overpowering, that she shut her eyes against it as if she could hide in the darkness. He murmured and gathered her against him. — Cassandra Clare

The King's hand shot out so fast the eye could barely track it, and somehow, even without sight, he got the trajectory right, clamping a hold on the throat of his fighter. He didn't even look in Vishous's direction, his focus remaining on Xcor.
In response, Vishous didn't defend himself, even as he was forced to gasp for breath, his goateed jaw dropping open.
"Don't you love it when people know their places," Wrath said to Xcor tightly. "When they understand those moments when they need to keep their fucking mouths shut."
Xcor had to smile. Wrath and he were kin in some ways, weren't they.
"Aye, my Lord," he murmured. — J.R. Ward

The truth is, if you're around long enough, you have a story about everyone. But it's best to keep your mouth shut sometimes. — Willem Dafoe

More idiots should just shut their mouths. — Chris Martin

Until that moment I'd thought I could have it both ways; to be one of them, and also my husband's wife. What conceit! I was his instrument, his animal. Nothing more. How we wives and mothers do perish at the hands of our own righteousness. I was just one more of those women who clamp their mouths shut and wave the flag as their nation rolls off to conquer another in war. Guilty or innocent, they have everything to lose. They are what there is to lose. A wife is the earth itself, changing hands, bearing scars. — Barbara Kingsolver

You'll regret opening your mouth. You'll rarely regret keeping it shut. — Max Lucado

When sins become civil rights, there is a temptation for Christians to keep our mouths shut and turn what is supposed to be a public faith into a private faith, but we are commanded to not be ashamed of the gospel. — Mark Driscoll

Being successful is the only way to keep doubters' and haters' mouths shut. — Mohith Agadi

Rather than allowing a book's intelligence to speak through our mouths, we replace it with our own intelligence as we talk about it. Rather than acting as emissary for the book, we become guardians of the temple, boasting of its wonders in the very words that slam shut it's doors: Reading matters! Reading matters! — Daniel Pennac

Christ asked people who follow him to be the voice for the voiceless - not to wire their mouths shut. — Christina Engela

In some cases is keeping your mouth shut the best answer. — Dalai Lama

If you only ever read one book in your life ... I highly recommend you keep
your mouth shut — Simon Munnery

But when he said he couldn't shoot, it just seemed to make an odd sort of
sense to tell him that Hermione couldn't dance. It fit, really. Men were supposed to shoot, and women
were supposed to dance, and trusty best friends were supposed to keep their foolish mouths shut.
Clearly, all three of them needed a bit of instruction. — Julia Quinn

But the day that I die will be the day that I shut my mouth and put down my guitar. — Bradley Nowell

When Jerry Lewis and I were big, we used to go to parties, and everybody thought I was big-headed and stuck up, and I wasn't. It was because I didn't know how to speak good English, so I used to keep my mouth shut. — Dean Martin

As so often happens, I discover that it would have been better to keep my mouth shut. — Prince Philip

But there's no end to what's been said, and I'll be a party to nothing. I was born with my mouth shut:those with their mouths open do nothing but start trouble and catch flies. — Elizabeth Bowen

We've learned over the years that if we wanted we could write anything that just felt good or sounded good and it didn't necessarily have to have any particular meaning to us. As odd as it seemed to us, reviewers would take it upon themselves to interject their own meanings on our lyrics. Sometimes we sit and read other people's interpretations of our lyrics and think, 'Hey, that's pretty good.' If we liked it, we would keep our mouths shut and just accept the credit as if it was what we meant all along. — John Lennon

To become a master communicator: shut your mouth & listen first. — Rick Warren

Shut your damn mouth. — Nick Offerman

It is true that all of us are the beneficiaries of crimes committed by our ancestors, and it is true that nothing can be done about that now because the victims are dead and the survivors are innocent. These are good reasons for keeping our mouths shut about the past: but tell me, what are our reasons for silence about atrocities still to come? — Damon Knight

My beautiful queen. Your entire court is staring at you, and I can't blame them.
They were, too. The queen turned to look. Her glance swept through the crowd like a reaping sickle through grain. Mouths slammed shut on every side. There was a scuffling sound as the people in the back shifted, trying to screen themselves from view. The queen looked back at the king, who was broadly smiling. — Megan Whalen Turner

Too often we are scared. Scared of what we might not be able to do. Scared of what people might think if we tried. We let fears stand in the way of our hopes. We say no when we want to say yes. We sit quietly when we want to scream. And we shout with the others, When we should keep our mouths shut. Why? After all, we do only go around once. There's really no time to be afraid. JUST DO IT. — Barry Sanders

Let us keep our mouths shut and our pens dry until we know the facts. — Anton Julius Carlson

You're almost always better off keeping your mouth shut, but don't let that stop you from popping off. — Andy Rooney

Sometimes a mind is like a mouth: you just got to shut it. — James Carville

19Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. 20And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? + 21Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. 22My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.* + — Anonymous

In a further effort to be helpful, I tried to pry the dentures apart. But Rajkumar had grown impatient and he snatched the tumbler from me. It was only after he had thrust his teeth into his mouth that he discovered that Uma's dentures were clamped within his. And then, as he was sitting there, staring in round-eyed befuddlement at the pink jaws that were protruding out of his own, an astonishing thing happened - Uma leaned forward and fastened her mouth on her own teeth. Their mouths clung to each other and they shut their eyes. — Amitav Ghosh

... those who have their mouths open all the time generally have their ears shut. — Alan Dean Foster

Yet the women's misery is socually invisible. Despite our education and accomplishments, we are expected to keep our mouths shut and accept our infertility treatments as consolation prize. Our jobs are supposed to be our highest priority. We are expected to overlook the connection between our disappointment, the impossible ideology of equality, and the contraception that makes that ideology appear to be possible. — Jennifer Morse

You degrade us and then ask why we are degraded. You shut our mouths and ask why we don't speak. You close your colleges and seminaries against us and then ask why we don't know. — Frederick Douglass