not breathe a word

Idioms  

1. Not reveal a secret, keep concealed, as in You must promise not to breathe a word of what I'm about to tell you. This phrase relies on the verb breathe as meaning “to utter,” a usage dating from the late 1500s.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

not breathe a word

Limit visits to holidays and weekends, bounce the grandkids on his knee, not breathe a word about business or affairs of state.

From The Guardian ● Nov. 22, 2016

Molly begs Sam to leave that out of the report and not breathe a word of it to anyone, at least until she figures out what happened while she was supposedly alone in space.

From Washington Post

It is not good, my compatriots, that you should not breathe a word of it to anybody, not even to your own soul for fear of having to judge yourself.

From Time Magazine Archive

I'll not breathe a word of the matter to any one but you till I can bring it into court, and prove it.

From A Duel by Marsh, Richard

I assured him that I would not breathe a word, thanked him for his kindness in asking me to assist him, and we separated to go to our work and dream of promotion.

From The Strand Magazine, Volume V, Issue 26, February 1893 An Illustrated Monthly by Various