keep sth quiet

Idioms are generally defined as groups of words that form a meaningful whole when they come together, even though the words in them do not make sense on their own. They have produced many idioms according to their own cultural characteristics in communities using the English language. What does keep sth quiet mean? In what situations is keep sth quiet used?

Meaning of "keep sth quiet"

Meaning

The phrase “keep something quiet” is an idiom meaning to not make a secret known to other people. It implies that the person wants to keep the information confidential and not share it with others. It may be used in situations when someone wants to keep an event, a plan or a conversation private or to keep certain information from becoming public.

Etymology

The phrase “keep something quiet” is an idiomatic expression that originated in the English language. It is believed that this phrase first appeared in the 17th century, when people began to use the phrase “keep something quiet” to describe the act of not discussing something with other people. The phrase was then used to refer to a secretive relationship between two people or a group of people and was first seen in literature in the 1780s. Since then, the phrase has become a common part of the English language and is used to convey a sense of privacy or secrecy.

Usage

The phrase “keep something quiet” is mainly used in informal settings. It is often used between friends, family members and colleagues, when someone wants to keep a certain event or plan a secret. The phrase can also be used to describe an information or policy that should not be discussed publicly or shared with others. It can also be used to refer to a private conversation between two or more people, which should not be shared with anyone else.

Example Sentences

• We need to keep this plan quiet until we are sure it will work.
• Let's keep this conversation between the two of us.
• I'm sorry, but I can't tell you any more than that - I need to keep it quiet.
• The company only shared the information with a select few - they wanted to keep it quiet.

The universal role of idioms

"Kill two birds with one stone" is an English idiom that means to accomplish two things with a single action. In French, the similar idiom is "Faire d'une pierre deux coups," which translates to "To kill two birds with one stone." This idiom highlights the efficiency of completing two tasks with one action.