pipe up

pipe up

1. (intransitive) To speak up, especially in a robust, assertive manner; to say something suddenly.
   • 1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island:

     "You seem to have a lot to say," remarked Silver, spitting far into the air. "Pipe up and let me hear it, or lay to."

   • 1994, Haruki Murakami, Dance Dance Dance:

     Once I asked a seventeen-year-old singer something that wasn't on the list, which caused her manager to pipe up: "That wasn't what we agreed on. She doesn't have to answer that."

2. (intransitive) To being singing or playing musical notes on a pipe or similar wind instrument.
   • 1871, Louisa May Alcott, Little Men, ch. 12:

     [T]he frogs in a neighboring marsh began to pipe up for the evening concert.

   • 1907, Mark Twain, Chapters from My Autobiography, ch. 16:

     But presently the gray dawn stole over the world, the birds piped up, then the sun rose and poured light and comfort all around.

3. (intransitive, of wind, etc.) To begin to blow more vigorously.
   • 1911, Jack London, "Make Westing" in When God Laughs and Other Stories:

     Once, for ten minutes, the sun shone at midday, and ten minutes afterward a new gale was piping up.

4. (transitive, rare) To call, awaken, or summon, as with a musical instrument.
   • 1898, J. Meade Falkner, Moonfleet, chapter 5:

     Yet beyond turning my blood cold for a moment, it gave me little trouble, for evil tales have hung about the church; and though I did not set much store by the old yarns of Blackbeard piping up his crew, yet I thought strange things might well go on among the graves at night. And so I never budged, nor stirred hand or foot to save a fellow-creature in his agony.

• pipe down