keep quiet

Idioms  

1. Also, keep still.

2. Also, . Remain silent; same as hold one's tongue . For example, Please keep quiet about the party . Also see keep one's mouth shut .

3. Refrain from moving, stay in the same position; same as hold still . For example, The doctor gave the young boy a toy to keep him quiet while on the examining table , or It's hard for the baby to keep still unless he's sleeping . [Late 1300s]

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Example Sentences

For the sake of propriety — Paley was one of the 20th century’s most powerful media paschas — his indiscretions were kept quiet.

From Los Angeles Times

But me and Dad had the sense to keep quiet.

From Literature

I had tried to block it out of my mind all week—had thought that if I kept quiet everything would die down, including Ba’s anger.

From Literature

Clint Patterson says his mother privately confirmed his suspicions that the family’s claim to fame was bogus, but he kept quiet to protect their financial stream.

From The Wall Street Journal

If they were, they could have kept quiet and let speculation build this week.

From BBC

Related Words

• stash
• stow