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English Lexicon

Put-up-or-shut-up

/ˌpʊt.ʌp.ɔːr ˌʃʌt ˈʌp/
adjectiveidiomCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #8500 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

1 sense
As adjective
  1. 1

    Describing a situation or ultimatum in which someone must provide concrete proof, take action, or else cease talking about a claim.

    "The senator faced a put-up-or-shut-up moment regarding his bold allegations of corruption."
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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Originating in the United States in the late 19th century, this idiomatic phrase emerged from gambling and frontier culture where a challenger demanded that someone either back up their claims with action ('put up' money or proof) or remain silent ('shut up'). It transitioned into general political and professional discourse by the early 20th century to describe ultimatums requiring concrete proof.

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10 Global Lexicons: How "Put-up-or-shut-up" is said worldwide

Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration

🇫🇷French → English

passe aux actes ou tais-toi

Transliteration: pas oh akt ou teh twa

"C'est un moment de vérité où il faut passer aux actes ou se taire."

🇩🇪German → English

Taten sprechen lassen oder schweigen

Transliteration: taten sprechen lassen oder schweigen

"Jetzt gilt es, Taten sprechen zu lassen oder zu schweigen."

🇮🇹Italian → English

passare ai fatti o tacere

Transliteration: passare ai fatti o tacere

"È arrivato il momento di passare ai fatti o tacere."

🇪🇸Spanish → English

demoler con pruebas o callarse

Transliteration: demoler con pruebas o callarse

Script: demostrar con hechos o callarse

"Es una situación de demostrar con hechos o callarse."

🇵🇹Portuguese → English

provar ou calar-se

Transliteration: provar ou calar-se

"Chegou a hora de provar ou calar-se."

🇮🇳Hindi → English

करके दिखाओ या चुप रहो

Transliteration: karke dikhao ya chup raho

"यह साबित करने या चुप रहने का समय है।"

🇨🇳Chinese → English

拿实力说话或闭嘴

Transliteration: ná shílì shuōhuà huò bìzuǐ

"现在是拿出证据或者闭嘴的时候了。"

🇰🇷Korean → English

행동으로 증명하든가 입 다물다

Transliteration: haengdongeuro jeungmyeonghadeunga ip damulda

"증명하거나 입을 다물어야 하는 순간이다."

🇯🇵Japanese → English

有言実行か黙るか

Transliteration: yūgen jikkō ka damaru ka

"証拠を見せるか黙るかする時が来た。"

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