hold one's peace

English

Alternative forms

• keep one's peace

Pronunciation

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Verb

hold one's peace (third-person singular simple present holds one's peace, present participle holding one's peace, simple past and past participle held one's peace)

1. (idiomatic) To refrain from speaking; to be silent.
   • c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:

     Thurio: How likes she my discourse?
     Proteus: Ill, when you talk of war.
     Thurio: But well, when I discourse of love and peace?
     Julia: [Aside] But better, indeed, when you hold your peace.

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 39:2:

     I was dumb with silence,
     I held my peace

   • 1728, Jonathan Swift, A Dialogue between Mad Mullinix and Timothy:

     Ne'er hold my peace, and ne'er stand still:
     I fart with twenty ladies by;
     They call me beast; and what care I?

   • 1860 February 25, G. W. S., “Letter to Editor: Country Clergymen and Matrimony”, in New York Times, retrieved 3 October 2013:

     [U]nless he can give better arguments than he has given to show the truth of his observations, it would be well for him to hold his peace.

   • 1937 April 2, “The Presidency: Economic Dissertation”, in Time, retrieved 3 October 2013:

     Washington was still waiting last week for Franklin Roosevelt to say or do something about Sit-Down. . . . But if he held his peace on one topic, he spoke out boldly on another.

   • 2006 October 25, “Farming supermarket 'victims' urged to speak out”, in The Scotsman, Scotland, retrieved 3 October 2013:

     Supermarket suppliers with a grievance have been urged to speak up soon or forever hold their peace.

References

• “hold one's peace”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.