let sleeping dogs lie
Don't provoke problems
Let sleeping dogs lie advises against stirring up trouble by revisiting old conflicts or raising sensitive matters that have settled down.
The metaphor suggests that a resting dog might bite if disturbed: I thought about asking why he quit, but decided to let sleeping dogs lie.
The saying favors strategic inaction over unnecessary provocation.
- leave aloneRefrain from disturbing
- bury the hatchetEnd hostilities formally
- benign neglectPurposeful non-intervention proving beneficial
- quietLacking in sound
- calmFree from agitation
rest · hands off · don't rock the boat · water under the bridge · old wounds · stirring the pot · play it safe · pick your battles · let bygones be bygones · tread lightly · caution · bitterness · discretion · non-interventionism · maxim · prudence · bite your tongue · proverb
- idiomstime flies, hit the sack, seize the day, ring a bell, break a leg
- animal expressionsraining cats and dogs, curiosity killed cat, horse sense, wild goose chase, chickens come home
- dog quotesman's best friend, loyal companion, dog loyalty, unconditional love, canine companion
- cautioncareful, be careful, cautious, caution, watch out
- cover-upscover up, conceal, hush up, suppress, whitewash
- farm idiomsmake hay while the sun shines, cream of the crop, put the cart before the horse, till the cows come home, buy the farm
let sleeping dogs liepoke the bear
Antagonize a powerful adversary
rock the boat · meddle · interfere · stir the pot · micromanage
let sleeping dogs liestir up trouble
ask for trouble · play with fire · look for trouble · provoke · antagonize
let sleeping dogs lierake over old coals
Revisit resolved conflicts unnecessarily
dredge up · air dirty laundry · confront · bring up · revisit