🤫 Mum’s the word
Definition: Keep it a secret. Don’t tell anyone.
Origins and Usage:
This seemingly modern slang phrase was used by Shakespeare—“Seal up your lips, and give no words but—mum” (“Henry VI, Part 2,” Act 1, Scene 2)—and by numerous earlier writers. The word mum has meant silent since about 1350 and comes from the imitative sound made when one’s lips are closed (a kind of hum). The actual locution “Mum’s the word” has appeared in print multiple times since the early 1700s.
Related and Similar Terms:
- Keep it under wraps: Maintain secrecy
- On the down low (DL): Keep something private
- Zip your lip: Refrain from talking
- Button your lip: Keep quiet
- Keep it hush-hush: Keep something very secret
Synonyms and Antonyms:
Synonyms:
- Tight-lipped
- Reticent
- Discreet
- Close-mouthed
- Silent
Antonyms:
- Loose-lipped
- Chatty
- Gossiping
- Talkative
- Blabbermouth
Humor-filled Quotes and Proverbs:
- “Three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead.” - Benjamin Franklin
- “Shhh… It’s a secret, like an invisible elephant in the room.”
References and Suggestions:
Literature:
- Hamlet by William Shakespeare (Basically, Shakespeare reinvented “mum’s the word.”)
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (Lots of secrets here!)
Books:
- The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
- The Secrets We Keep by Trisha Leaver
Movies:
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
- A Beautiful Mind (2001)
- The Da Vinci Code (2006)
Songs:
- “Secrets” by OneRepublic
- “Whisper” by Evanescence
- “Little Secrets” by Passion Pit
Poetry:
- “Keep your heart’s secret in silence” by Walter Scott
- “To a Child Much Longing” by Dorothy Parker
The Quiz Corner:
### Which of these means to keep a secret?
- [x] Button your lip
- [ ] Whistle Dixie
- [ ] Jump the gun
- [ ] Smell a rat
> **Explanation:** "Button your lip" means to keep quiet or maintain a secret. The other phrases don’t relate to secrecy.
### Which Shakespeare play features “mum’s the word”?
- [x] Henry VI, Part 2
- [ ] Hamlet
- [ ] Romeo and Juliet
- [ ] Othello
> **Explanation:** The phrase "mum's the word" appears in "Henry VI, Part 2."
### True or False: The phrase “mum’s the word” dates back to the 1300s.
- [x] True
- [ ] False
> **Explanation:** The word *mum* meant silent as early as 1350, although the phrase "mum's the word" became popular from the 1700s.
### Fill in the blank: To keep something very secret, you might say, “_____ your lip.”
- [ ] Press
- [ ] Break
- [x] Button
- [ ] Unzip
> **Explanation:** The correct idiom is “Button your lip,” meaning to stay silent or keep a secret.
Inspirational Farewell:
“Silence isn’t only golden; it’s a finely tuned art practiced by the wisest individuals.”
Stay curious and keep those lips mum—your secrets are your power.
