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00:00What does let sleeping dogs lie mean?
00:03The idiom let sleeping dogs lie means not to stir up old conflicts or provoke an argument over unresolved issues.
00:11It is often better to agree to disagree and move forward rather than trigger hostilities over an ongoing difference of opinion.
00:20Let sleeping dogs lie refers to the instinctive behavior of a dog whenever it is awakened suddenly from a nap.
00:27Many dogs instinctively lash out at those who try to awaken them without reason, and these natural responses are often quite painful.
00:37One example of the idiom in action would be a heated discussion between a man and wife over an unpaid bill.
00:44While the issue itself may be relatively minor, it could bring up painful memories of a previous fight over household finances.
00:52Instead of provoking or escalating the argument, both might agree to let sleeping dogs lie and not remind each other of the previous fight unnecessarily.
01:04Dredging up a provocative or painful issue from the past would not help to resolve the current situation, so both sides agreed not to discuss it.
01:13Unresolved grudges or long-standing feuds in the business world can also benefit from this proverb.
01:20A project manager may have had an unpleasant working relationship with a subordinate in the past, but a new project requires complete team cooperation.
01:29Rather than sabotage group unity, the project manager and his co-worker may agree to let sleeping dogs lie where their personal disagreements are concerned.
01:39If the past issues are largely resolved and have little bearing on the present situation, then it is better for everyone that they remain dormant.
01:48Although the Old Testament Book of Proverbs makes references to the foolish mishandling of dogs, many sources point to the English author Chaucer as the originator of the idiom in print.
02:00Other authors have since used variations on Chaucer's theme to imply the inherent dangers of awakening sleeping dogs.
02:07The modern form of the idiom is more passive in nature, suggesting that sleeping dogs, especially large and volatile breeds, should remain undisturbed.
02:17In Chaucer's time, the proverb warned against deliberately approaching a sleeping dog and waking it up forcefully.
02:24Anyone who chooses to wake up a sleeping guard dog generally gets the punishment he or she deserves.
02:33For more clear, concise answers to common and not-so-common questions, visit the Conjecture Corporation website.