-
Let bygones be bygones
Let bygones be bygonesLet past offenses and problems stay in the past; don't let them taint the present.
-
let bygones be bygones
let bygones be bygonesWhat's done is done; don't worry about the past, especially past errors or grievances. For example, Bill and Tom shook hands and agreed to let bygones be bygones. [First half of 1600s]
Let bygones be bygones
CulturalExample Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Let bygones be bygones, and give a worthy candidate a long-overdue salute.
From New York Times ● Dec. 6, 2014
Alkaios sings in Greek, "I paid all my dues," concluding: "Let bygones be bygones, let's start over again."
From Seattle Times ● May 28, 2010
China and Rio Tinto Let bygones be bygones?
From Economist ● Mar. 19, 2010
Let bygones be bygones as far as Britain and India are concerned.
From Time Magazine Archive
![]()
Let bygones be bygones between you and me.
From Tom Brown at Oxford by Thomas Hughes
In a video, he said the army was ready for negotiations, but "we will not let bygones be bygones."
From Reuters ● Oct. 25, 2023
In a polite world, the trio would have invited her to join their celebration and let bygones be bygones.
From Salon ● Jul. 6, 2022
If Jim has taken your boyfriend’s reproof seriously, you could decide to let bygones be bygones, but if his appalling behavior resumes, the respectful thing to do is to let your friend know.
From New York Times ● Apr. 19, 2022
But he did encourage Diaz to "let bygones be bygones".
From BBC ● Mar. 16, 2022
‘You leave him, and then come back to work, and we’ll let bygones be bygones.’
From "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.