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Mum's the Word (Origin)
What Is the Origin of the Saying "Mum's the Word"?
The term "mum's the word" means to keep quiet.Table of Contents
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Examples of Use:
- We're throwing a surprise party. Say nothing. Mum's the word.
- I don't want anyone to know that I'm pregnant yet, so mum's the word.
Of note, the word "mum" has been associated with keeping silent since at least the Middle Ages. At Christmas in England, groups of mummers (or mimes) disguised in costumes would visit houses, where they would be invited to dance, play games, and make merry. This was all done in silence to hide the mummers' identities. The only sound they uttered was "mmm," leading to the name mummers.
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