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  • Let bygones be bygones
    Let bygones be bygones
    Let past offenses and problems stay in the past; don't let them taint the present.
  • let bygones be bygones
    let bygones be bygones
    What'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]
Synonyms

Let bygones be bygones

Cultural  
  1. Let past offenses and problems stay in the past; don't let them taint the present.


let bygones be bygones Idioms  
  1. What'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]


Example 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

When the subject of Iraq came up, Chirac waved his hand and said, "Let bygones be bygones."

From Time Magazine Archive

Let bygones be bygones:   Don't call me false, who owed not to be true: I'd rather answer 'No' to fifty Johns   Than answer 'Yes' to you.

From Goblin Market, The Prince's Progress, and Other Poems by Christina Georgina Rossetti

In a video, he said the army was ready for negotiations, but "we will not let bygones be bygones."

From Reuters ● Oct. 25, 2023

Luis and Davonte agree to let bygones be bygones, especially since their go-to allies have both died.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 9, 2022

In a polite world, the trio would have invited her to join their celebration and let bygones be bygones.

From Salon ● Jul. 6, 2022

But he did encourage Diaz to "let bygones be bygones".

From BBC ● Mar. 16, 2022

Zimbabwe had signed a peace treaty with them years before, but it seemed no one could let bygones be bygones.

From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer

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