hold one's peace

present singular third person holds one's peace · participle present holding one's peace · participle past held one's peace · past held one's peace · alternative keep one's peace

1. idiomaticTo refrain from speaking; to be silent.

   I was dumb with silence, I held my peace

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 39:2

   5 more examples

   Thurio: How likes she my discourse? Proteus: Ill, when you talk of war. Thurio: But well, when I discourse of love and peace? Julia: [Aside] But better, indeed, when you hold your peace.

   c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]

   Ne'er hold my peace, and ne'er stand still: I fart with twenty ladies by; They call me beast; and what care I?

   1728, Jonathan Swift, A Dialogue between Mad Mullinix and Timothy

   [U]nless he can give better arguments than he has given to show the truth of his observations, it would be well for him to hold his peace.

   1860 February 25, G. W. S., “Letter to Editor: Country Clergymen and Matrimony”, in New York Times, retrieved 03 Oct 2013

   Washington was still waiting last week for Franklin Roosevelt to say or do something about Sit-Down. . . . But if he held his peace on one topic, he spoke out boldly on another.

   1937 April 2, “The Presidency: Economic Dissertation”, in Time, retrieved 03 Oct 2013

   Supermarket suppliers with a grievance have been urged to speak up soon or forever hold their peace.

   2006 October 25, “Farming supermarket 'victims' urged to speak out”, in The Scotsman, Scotland, retrieved 03 Oct 2013