put up or shut up verb1 •To desist from saying something unless one is able to prove it; to act in a manner that makes further talk unnecessary."If the evidence for modern Darwinian theory is so overwhelming, they should have called the bluff on the other side and come and made their arguments. ... They should have put up or shut up." — 2005 formsput up · shut up · putting up or shutting up · puts up or shuts up