In our fast-paced world, moments of stillness can be rare and profound. Stillness, often associated with peace and contemplation, is a theme that weaves through many idioms and expressions in the English language. This blog post explores 20 expressions related to stillness, providing insights into their meanings and how they can be used in everyday conversations. Whether you’re a writer, a speaker, or someone who appreciates the nuances of language, these phrases will add depth to your understanding and expression of tranquility and calm.
Expressions Related to Stillness
1. As quiet as a mouse
Meaning: Extremely quiet or silent.
Example: He entered the room as quiet as a mouse.
2. Hold your horses
Meaning: Wait and be patient.
Example: Hold your horses, I’ll get to your question soon.
3. Keep your shirt on
Meaning: Stay calm and don’t get upset.
Example: Keep your shirt on, we’ll figure this out.
4. Still waters run deep
Meaning: A quiet person may have a complex inner life.
Example: He doesn’t talk much, but still waters run deep.
5. Peace and quiet
Meaning: A calm and tranquil environment.
Example: All I want is some peace and quiet this weekend.
6. Not move a muscle
Meaning: Stay completely still.
Example: During the hide and seek game, she didn’t move a muscle.
7. Stop dead in one’s tracks
Meaning: Suddenly stop moving or doing something.
Example: The strange noise made her stop dead in her tracks.
8. At a standstill
Meaning: Completely stopped, no movement or progress.
Example: Traffic was at a standstill.
9. Freeze in one’s tracks
Meaning: Suddenly stop moving out of surprise or fear.
Example: He froze in his tracks when he saw the snake.
10. A moment of silence
Meaning: A period of silent respect or mourning.
Example: Let’s observe a moment of silence for the departed.
11. In the dead of night
Meaning: In the very quiet and dark part of the night.
Example: The streets were empty in the dead of night.
12. Lay low
Meaning: Stay out of sight; avoid attracting attention.
Example: After the mistake, he decided to lay low for a while.
13. Sit tight
Meaning: Wait patiently and take no action.
Example: Sit tight, I’ll be back with help.
14. Don’t make a peep
Meaning: Stay very quiet.
Example: The kids didn’t make a peep during the movie.
15. Keep it down
Meaning: Be quieter.
Example: Could you please keep it down? I’m trying to study.
16. Let sleeping dogs lie
Meaning: Avoid disturbing a situation to prevent causing trouble or complications.
Example: He wanted to ask why but decided to let sleeping dogs lie.
17. A hush fell over the crowd
Meaning: The crowd suddenly became very quiet.
Example: As the curtain rose, a hush fell over the crowd.
18. Silence is golden
Meaning: It’s often better to say nothing.
Example: When the argument heated up, he remembered that silence is golden.
19. Like watching paint dry
Meaning: Extremely boring or slow.
Example: Waiting for the results was like watching paint dry.
20. The calm before the storm
Meaning: A peaceful and quiet period before a period of difficulty or chaos.
Example: The house was very quiet, like the calm before the storm of the party.
