keep your mouth shut and your eyes open
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
Observe carefully and avoid speaking unnecessarily
Literally: keep your mouth shut and your eyes open
Examples
In a new workplace, it's best to keep your mouth shut and your eyes open
AI-drafted example auto-approved by rule (illustrative, not a corpus attestation)
Sources & notes
Listed on English Wikiquote “English proverbs” (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-31). Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-07-31; pending editor spot-check.
Common questions
What does “keep your mouth shut and your eyes open” mean?
Observe carefully and avoid speaking unnecessarily Literally: keep your mouth shut and your eyes open
Is “keep your mouth shut and your eyes open” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.