Mum's the word

Mum's the word

Mum's the word is a popular English idiom. It is related to an expression used by William Shakespeare, in Henry VI, Part 2.[1]

Meaning

"Mum's the word" means to keep quiet, to say nothing. "Mum" is a Middle English word meaning "silent". [2] The word may be derived from the "mmm" sound made when one tries to speak with lips closed.[3] Note the phonetically similar German word "stumm" (Old High German "stum", Latin "mutus") meaning "silent, mute".

Origin

The origins of the phrase can be traced back to the fifteenth century Towneley Plays[4]

“ Though thi lyppis be stokyn, yit myght thou say ‘mum’. ”

and notably in Shakespeare's Henry VI, Part 2, Act 1, Scene 2:

“ Seal up your lips and give no words but mum. ”

References

  1. ^ ""Henry Act VI Part 2"". http://www.online-literature.com/view.php/henryVI2/3?term=mum. 
  2. ^ " ""mum"". http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=mum". 
  3. ^ ""Definition of Phrases"". http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/251850.html. 
  4. ^ OED

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  • mum's the word —    When people use this idiom, they mean that you should keep quiet about something and not tell other people.   (Dorking School Dictionary)    ***    To say mum s the word means that the subject or plan is a secret and must not be revealed.    … …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

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