Idiom
Let sleeping dogs lie
Let sleeping dogs lie means avoid stirring up an old problem or argument that is quiet now, because doing so could cause trouble.
How people use it
People use it as advice when someone wants to bring up a past disagreement, an old mistake or a touchy topic: I thought about asking him about the money, but I decided to let sleeping dogs lie. It is neutral and common in family, work and friendship situations. It suggests that peace now is worth more than settling an old issue. Some people push back on the advice, saying problems that are ignored can grow, so using it is a judgment call.
Examples
- Grace wanted to ask about the broken vase, but she decided to let sleeping dogs lie.
- The neighbors finally stopped arguing about the fence, so let's let sleeping dogs lie.
- My advice is to let sleeping dogs lie and not mention last year's budget mistake.
Where it comes from
The idea is old. Geoffrey Chaucer wrote in Troilus and Criseyde, in the late 1300s, that it is not good to wake a sleeping hound. The image is simple: a dog that is asleep is harmless, but one that is woken suddenly may bite. The modern wording, let sleeping dogs lie, became the standard form in the 1800s.
Check yourself
1. What does a friend mean when she says, "Let sleeping dogs lie"?
Answer: Don't bring up an old problem. The idiom advises leaving a quiet problem alone.
2. Which situation fits the idiom?
Answer: Deciding not to reopen an argument that ended months ago. It is about not stirring up old trouble that has settled.
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