Let sleeping dogs lie is a proverb that has been around for hundreds of years. A proverb is a short, common saying or phrase that gives advice or shares a universal truth. We will look at the meaning of the phrase let sleeping dogs lie, where it most probably came from and some examples of its use in sentences.
Let sleeping dogs lie means let well enough alone, don’t stir up trouble, don’t interfere in a situation and risk making trouble. The term has been around at least since the 1300s, and probably well before that. In fact, one may consider the roots of this proverb to be in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Proverbs, chapter twenty-six, verse seventeen: “He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.” Even with its ancient origins, the proverb let sleeping dogs lie is quite popular today.
Examples
While the government appears to let sleeping dogs lie, there’s worry that a re-elected NDP gang would do away with the hybrid model and only support publicly-owned continuing-care facilities with 100% unionized staff. (The Edmonton Sun)
But how do you not use the “let sleeping dogs lie” pun on last week’s EP when Tony and Camila got into a drunk fight and ended up being kicked off the show? (The Observer)
Never one to let sleeping dogs lie, Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump was clearly up early Friday morning (Sputnik News)
Never one to let sleeping dogs lie, Posner returned again to his analogy, wrapping it in free-market cloth, finding that the lower-court judge was wrong to equate cabs with Uber because consumers don’t. (Crain’s Chicago Business)