keep shtum | Idiomator

Meaning: (intransitive,colloquial,idiomatic)Nottellanyone;especially, keepsilentabout something that may besensitiveorsecret.If I tell you, you have to promise tokeep shtumabout it.1996,John le Carré,The Tailor of Panama, London:Hodder & Stoughton,ISBN978-0-340-68478-8; republished New York, N.Y.:Ballantine Books, 1997,ISBN978-0-345-42043-5, page 104:Charlie Blüthner is theshmatteking of Panama, and he wouldn't be where he is today if Benny hadn'tkept shtumfor him just like you did for me.2010, M. T. McGuire, chapter 62, inFew Are Chosen(K'Barthan Series; part 1), United Kingdom: Hamgee University Press,→ISBN:His only chance of survival was tokeep schtum. His only way of saving the others was tokeep schtumand the only chance of actuallykeeping schtumwas not to be around to do any talking. He must escape. Now.2010,Chris Mullin,Decline & Fall: Diaries 2005–2010, London:Profile Books,→ISBN:This evening, at a thinly attended meeting of the parliamentary party,Jim Sheridandemanded to know why ministers were interfering in the strike by theBAcabin crew – bothAndrew AdonisandGordon [Brown] denounced the strikers over the weekend. 'How have we got ourselves into this situation?' askedKen Purchase, pointing out that there had been two ballots, the last of which came out 80 per cent in favour of strike action. 'We should either bekeeping shtumor back the workers.'2012,Kevin Barry,Dark Lies the Island: Stories, London:Jonathan Cape,→ISBN, page12:And I would plead that the situation is not unusual. It's just one of those things you're supposed tokeep shtumabout.2013,Ann Granger,Bricks and Mortality(Campbell and Carter Mystery; 3), London:Headline Publishing Group,→ISBN:Reggie is another one whokeeps shtumabout things. But one Christmas, when I was over here and called in to wish them seasonal good cheer, we had a few whiskies and he got loquacious.

Examples:

EN: For those of you that do know me, keep shtum.
ES: Y para los que me conozcais, ¡callaros!
ID: Bagi mereka yang tahu siapa aku, tetaplah diam.
EN: We get 1,500 euros a month to keep shtum!
ES: 1.500 euros al mes, para quedarnos callados!
EN: You keep shtum.
ES: No diga nada.
EN: Listen, keep shtum about Davey's old lady, would you?
ES: ¿Escucha, no digas lo que viste de la mujer? - ¿Qué?
ID: Dengar, kau bisa menyimpan rahasia soal istrinya Davey, 'kan?
EN: Have you been asked to keep shtum about the title of the first book in the series, or are we allowed a sneak peek?
TE: మరి సీను ధర్మం పాత్ర గురించి కొత్త విషయాన్ని తెలియజెప్పడమో, లేదా కథని ముందుకి నడిపించే సమాచారమివ్వడమో అయివుండాలని చెప్పుకున్నాం కదా?

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