icgasil.blogg.se - Sleeping dogs lie

The cautionary phrase was well enough known by the 16th century for it to have been included as a proverb in John Heywood's definitive A Dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the Prouerbes in the Englishe tongue, 1546:Īt this point I ought to mention the 18th century British politician Sir Robert Walpole. By the time it became established as a proverb its meaning had 'leave well alone', or as we might have it in the 21st century, "if it ain't broke don't fix it". The expression may have started as a warning about the risk of waking a potentially dangerous animal, but it later turned metaphorical. "It is nought good a slepyng hound to wake." Geoffrey Chaucer was one of the first to put this notion into print, in Troilus and Criseyde, circa 1380, although the belief itself may well be much older: 'Let sleeping dogs lie' derives from the long-standing observation that dogs are often unpredictable when they are suddenly disturbed. What's the origin of the phrase 'Let sleeping dogs lie'?

Dogs What's the meaning of the phrase 'Let sleeping dogs lie'?Īvoid interfering in a situation which is currently stable.This is remarkable considering the centuries separating these two periods of time. It should be noted that unlike some proverbs, the meaning of the phrase seems mostly unchanged since it was used by Chaucer in the 1300s. Let sleeping dogs lie, said the daft man, when he saw the dead hound before him. They published a story titled The Second Tale of Allan Lorburne, which included the line: The exact wording that’s commonly used today appeared in the 19th century in The London Magazine.

Perhaps it began with Chaucer, but as with most proverbs, there is no record indicating its original use. These versions are quite similar, in content, to that which is commonly used today, but no one is quite sure where the phrase originated. In this volume, it was catalogued as a popular proverb. Later, the phrase was included in A Dialogue Prouerbes English Tongue, published in 1546. It is nought good a slepyng hound to wake. Some scholars have suggested that the phrase dates back to the 1300s, specifically to Geoffrey Chaucer, who used it in Troilus and Criseyde. “Let sleeping dogs lie” has been in use for centuries. They’re often overused and, over time, became cliche due to this fact. Proverbs are what they are due to common use. That all being said, writers sometimes choose not to use proverbs in their writing or instead come up with new ones themselves in order to make their dialogue and writing as original as possible. There might be something negative on the horizon that a character is about to get themselves into. If the narrator uses the phrase, it might foreshadow something to come. This proverb might also be used by a narrator in a story. The more realistic a conversation between two characters in a book or short story is, the more likely it is that the reader will be easily convinced by them. Therefore, it makes sense for writers to try to incorporate it into their dialogue. Why Do Writers Use “Let sleeping dogs lie”Īs with almost all proverbs, this one can be used in everyday speech quite easily. I heard that Anna is on the way to the manager’s office, she’s certainly not letting sleeping dogs lie.Did you see what happened with Sally and her parents? That’s the perfect example of why we let sleeping dogs lie.I just had to remind myself to let sleeping dogs lie and I changed my mind.

I really don’t think you should do that, Joseph, you need to let sleeping dogs lie.

Amber, you know what they say, just let sleeping dogs lie.

If one is going to “wake a sleeping dog,” then it should be done gently.Įxample Sentences with “Let sleeping dogs lie” Alternatively, one might say the line to themselves, reminding themselves not to act too rashly or too quickly. For example, a friend might say the phrase to tell someone that starting an argument, questioning a rule, provoking their parent or partner, or any other actions are better left undone. “Let sleeping dogs lie” should be used as a reminder to someone else, or to oneself, about the dangers of one activity or another. The phrase has come to apply to a vast swath of situations in which one might poke something that’s better left alone. This applies to an even greater extent to guard dogs who once awoken would likely attack. The saying originates from the idea that waking a sleeping dog was dangerous, especially if done suddenly. The phrase “let sleeping dogs lie” is a reminder not to bring unnecessary risk or danger upon oneself.

4 Why Do Writers Use “Let sleeping dogs lie”.

3 Example Sentences with “Let sleeping dogs lie”.