take the Fifth

Idioms  

1. Refuse to answer on the grounds that one may incriminate oneself, as in He took the Fifth on so many of the prosecutor's questions that we're sure he's guilty. This idiom refers to the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which states that no person shall be compelled to be a witness against himself or herself. [Mid-1900s]

---

Example Sentences

Anwar said she did not appear in court “due to the nature and content of the petition,” as well as her decision to take the Fifth Amendment, she wrote in an email to The Times.

From Los Angeles Times

Hearst took the Fifth 42 times to avoid questions about her “lost year,” 1975, which included the Carmichael robbery.

From Los Angeles Times

“He has talked tough for years about how only guilty people and mobsters take the Fifth,” Mr. Bennett said.

From New York Times

"His legal team’s strategy was always defensive and focused on limiting liability elsewhere, which is why he took the Fifth hundreds of times in his deposition."

From Salon

Meadows has reportedly testified before the federal grand jury in Washington, but took the Fifth when called before the special grand jury in Georgia.

From Salon