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Let sleeping dogs lie

   Also found in: Acronyms 0.04 sec.
Let sleeping dogs lie.
Prov. Do not instigate trouble.; Leave something alone if it might cause trouble. Jill: Should I ask the boss if he's upset at my coming in late in the mornings? Jane: If he hasn't said anything about it, just let sleeping dogs lie. I thought I would ask Jill if she wanted me to pay her back right away, but then I decided to let sleeping dogs lie.
See also: dog, let, lie, sleep

let sleeping dogs lie
to not talk about things which have caused problems in the past, or to not try to change a situation because you might cause problems His parents never referred to the shoplifting incident again. I suppose they thought it best to let sleeping dogs lie. It wasn't that we didn't want to improve the school - it was more a case of letting sleeping dogs lie.
See sleeping partner
See also: dog, let, lie, sleep


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? References in classic literature
Why, sir, I read by it,' said Mr Flintwinch, screwing himself at him, 'that if it's advisable (as the proverb says it is) to let sleeping dogs lie, it's just as advisable, perhaps, to let missing dogs lie.
 
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