loosen someone's lips

loosen someone's lips (third-person singular simple present loosens someone's lips, present participle loosening someone's lips, simple past and past participle loosened someone's lips)

1. (informal, idiomatic) To cause one to speak more freely; to cause one to discuss a subject that would not usually be discussed.

   Synonym: loosen someone's tongue

   • 1994 August, Violet Hamilton, chapter 11, in Fabia's Choice, Zebra Books, page 144:

     A goodly number of these officers gathered nightly at the Crown and Anchor, where drink often loosened their lips. Was this where the spy learned the movements of ships?

   • 2008, Jeri Odell, chapter 14, in Until Tomorrow, Heartsong Presents, page 148:

     "I'll ask the DA to go easy on you. Maybe lower your charge to a misdemeanor with a fine." The sheriff acted like he was doing her a big favor, but Cody knew that was all they could charge her with anyway. However, the fear of jail was loosening her lips.

   • 2011, J.E. Fishman, chapter 5, in Primacy, Verbitrage, page 27:

     Afterward, she was alone with Hammurabi in the operating room of the primate lab. She leaned against the green-tiled wall to relieve her fatigue. Perhaps exhaustion loosened her lips. She could no longer contain herself about the twins.