keep one's mouth shut

present singular third person keeps one's mouth shut · participle present keeping one's mouth shut · participle past kept one's mouth shut · past kept one's mouth shut

1. idiomaticTo keep a secret; to refrain from speaking indiscreetly or carelessly; broadly, to refrain from speaking altogether.

   Near-synonym: keep it in the family

   3 more examples

   He thought that he could get him a regular salary if he would come to Packingtown and do as he was told, and keep his mouth shut.

   1905 April–October, Upton Sinclair, chapter XXV, in The Jungle, New York, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 26 February 1906, →OCLC

   Charles has failed to follow the example of his mother, the queen, who has heroically kept her mouth shut for more than 50 years.

   2004 November 23, Alan Cowell, “Charles Joins Fray Over Himself”, in New York Times, retrieved 25 Oct 2008

   He said he had raised his concerns about the invasion with senior embassy staff several times. "I was told to keep my mouth shut in order to avoid ramifications," he said.

   2022 May 23, Emma Farge, “Russian diplomat in Switzerland says he resigns over Ukraine invasion”, in Reuters, archived from the original on 26 May 2022, Europe

   Synonyms: keep one's lips sealed, keep one's own counsel, STFU, STFD, clam up, zip it, keep it in the family