proverb🎓 English idiom

let sleeping dogs lie

to avoid restarting an old conflict

What it means

To avoid interfering with a situation that is currently calm, because doing so could revive an old conflict or cause new trouble. It advises leaving the past or a touchy subject undisturbed.

Examples

  • I won't mention the argument again; better to let sleeping dogs lie.
  • We decided to let sleeping dogs lie rather than reopen the old dispute.
  • Don't ask about the inheritance at dinner, just let sleeping dogs lie.
  • The manager chose to let sleeping dogs lie instead of reviving the complaint.

Where it comes from

The proverb has been in English since the 14th century and was used by Chaucer in a related form. It draws on the everyday wisdom that waking a sleeping dog risks being bitten.

Related idioms

#water under the bridge#rock the boat#cry over spilled milk#bury the hatchet

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