mum's the word en · X
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
From mum (“silence”). Recorded since 1704.
Meanings
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(idiomatic) Indicates that something is a secret and not to be divulged.
… and that mum is the word till I give you liberty to speak
1879, Anna Katharine Green, The Leavenworth Case: A Lawyer's Story, G. P. Putnam's Sons, page 256:She doesn't know anything about it yet, so mum's the word, OK?
“Well, does she know how you feel?” “Honestly, Charmaine, I do not even know how I feel.” “Aw. Well, you should tell her.” “I should tell no one! Can you keep this secret, Charmaine?” “Mm-hmm.” “Good. Because if you don't, I'll kill you in your sleep.” “Okay, mum's the word.”
2024 November 18, Jeremy Levick & Rajat Suresh, “March Madness” (18:44 from the start), in What We Do in the Shadows, season 6, episode 7, spoken by Charmaine Rinaldi (Marissa Jaret Winokur):
Relateds
keep shtum · breathe a word · under one's hat
Translations (18)
pt boca de siri (indicates that something is a secret) · et ära kellelegi räägi (indicates that something is a secret) · de pscht (indicates that something is a secret) · ru об э́том молчо́к (indicates that something is a secret) · pl ani mru-mru (indicates that something is a secret) · cmn 保密 (indicates that something is a secret) · pt bico calado (indicates that something is a secret) · de pst (indicates that something is a secret) · es chitón (indicates that something is a secret) · ru об э́том ни гугу́ (indicates that something is a secret) · nl mondje dicht (indicates that something is a secret) · cy taw piau hi (indicates that something is a secret) · fr motus et bouche cousue (indicates that something is a secret) · it acqua in bocca (indicates that something is a secret) · ar السر في بئر (indicates that something is a secret) · de Behalte es für dich (indicates that something is a secret) · ca muts i a la gàbia (indicates that something is a secret) · fa شتر دیدی ندیدی (indicates that something is a secret)