Meaning of keep shtum | Babel Free

Definitions

Not tell anyone; especially, keep silent about something that may be sensitive or secret.

colloquial, idiomatic, intransitive

Examples

“If I tell you, you have to promise to keep shtum about it.”

“Charlie Blüthner is the shmatte king of Panama, and he wouldn't be where he is today if Benny hadn't kept shtum for him just like you did for me.”

“His only chance of survival was to keep schtum. His only way of saving the others was to keep schtum and the only chance of actually keeping schtum was not to be around to do any talking. He must escape. Now.”

“This evening, at a thinly attended meeting of the parliamentary party, Jim Sheridan demanded to know why ministers were interfering in the strike by the BA cabin crew – both Andrew Adonis and Gordon [Brown] denounced the strikers over the weekend. 'How have we got ourselves into this situation?' asked Ken 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 be keeping shtum or back the workers.'”

“And I would plead that the situation is not unusual. It's just one of those things you're supposed to keep shtum about.”

“Reggie is another one who keeps shtum about 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.”

CEFR level