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Keep a Straight Face

To hold oneself off laughing, to abstain from laughing

Etymology:

  • This is a recent and modern phrase which became quite popular over the years and is common these days. When you laugh, your facial expressions are observable, wrinkles appear on your face, your eyebrows are lifted, and your mouth opens wide, the muscles of your face twist or turn. You just cannot keep your face straight while laughing. But the expression means to keep your face straight means restrain from laughing.
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The child made a really funny sketch but his mother just asked everybody to keep a straight face.

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Submitted on February 25, 2019

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to Keep a Straight Face

keep an eye openkeep at arm's lengthkeep a weather eye openkeep at arm's lengthin one's facejust another pretty facekeep a watchful eye!keep an eye outin the face ofKeep a Stiff Upper Lipkeep a civil tongue in one's headkeep an eye onI'm straightin the face of

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    "Keep a Straight Face." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Nov. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/keep-a-straight-face_44797>.

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