MEANING
To avoid reopening a troublesome matter that has become quiet or largely forgotten.
Use it for
warning against reviving an old dispute; choosing not to reopen a settled problem; describing the risk of stirring up past resentment; advising restraint when intervention may cause fresh troubleDescribes choosing not to reopen a dormant problem that intervention may worsen. Writing functions: Avoidance of renewed conflict.
Words that belong together
- decide to let sleeping dogs lie
On the page
The apology had ended the quarrel, so I decided to let sleeping dogs lie.
He urged them to let sleeping dogs lie rather than repeat the accusation at dinner.
Word forms
- Base
- let sleeping dogs lie
Usage notes
Usually used as advice or a warning: let sleeping dogs lie. Keep dogs plural. Do not invent a noun plural for the whole idiom. Register: neutral. Commonness: common (qualitative editorial estimate, informed by dictionaries/corpus).
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.