α. 1900s– schtoom, 1900s– schtum, 1900s– shtoom, 1900s– shtum, 1900s– shtumm.
β. 1900s– stum, 1900s– stumm.
shtumadj.
/ʃtʊm/, U.S. /ʃtʊm/ colloquial (British and in Jewish usage).
Silent; quiet; not saying a word. Esp. in to keep (or stay) shtum.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > taciturnity or reticence > [adjective]
unspeakinga1382
speechless1390
mutec1400
dumb1406
silenta1425
peaceablec1425
secretc1440
of few wordsa1500
tongue-tied1529
mum1532
closec1540
strait-laced1546
tongue-dumb1556
incommunicable1568
sparing1568
inconversable1577
retentive1599
wordless1604
mumbudget1622
uncommunicable1628
monastica1631
word-bound1644
on (also upon) the reserve1655
strait-mouthed1664
oyster-like1665
incommunicative1670
mumchance1681
speechless1726
taciturnous1727
tongue-tacked1727
monosyllabic1735
silentish1737
untalkative1739
silentious1749
buttoned-up1767
taciturn1771
close as wax1772
untittletattling1779
reticent1825
voiceless1827
say-nothing1838
unremonstrant1841
still1855
unvocal1858
inexpansive186.
short-tongued1864
non-communicating1865
tight-lipped1876
unworded1886
chup1896
tongue-bound1906
shut-mouthed1936
zip-lipped1943
shtum1958
the mind > language > speech > taciturnity or reticence > be silent/refrain from speaking [verb (intransitive)]
to hold one's tonguec897
to keep one's tonguec897
to be (hold oneself) stilla1000
to say littleOE
to hold one's mouthc1175
to shut (also close) one's mouthc1175
to keep (one's) silence?c1225
to hold (also have, keep) one's peacea1275
stillc1330
peacec1395
mum1440
to say neither buff nor baff1481
to keep (also play) mum1532
to charm the tonguec1540
to have (also set, keep) a hatch before the door1546
hush1548
to play (at) mumbudgeta1564
not to say buff to a wolf's shadow1590
to keep a still tongue in one's head1729
to sing small1738
to sew up1785
let that fly stick in (or to) the wall1814
to say (also know) neither buff nor stye1824
to choke back1844
mumchance1854
to keep one's trap shut1899
to choke up1907
to belt up1949
to keep (or stay) shtum1958
shtum1958
1958 F. Norman Bang to Rights 15 I think it's much better to keep shtoom.
1975 J. Rosenthal Evacuees in Bar Mitzvah Boy & Other Television Plays (1987) 107 So have you both gone stumm or something? Suddenly no one talks all of a sudden!
1981 J. Barnett Firing Squad ii. 14 Stay schtoom. If the law does come round you don't go near.
2001 Independent 26 July ii. 7/3 If Eddie wants to stay shtoom about anything, not just his gayness, then he shouldn't let himself be persuaded by anyone to change his mind.
2014 Spirit & Destiny Apr. 65/1 If you feel tempted to tell them how it's going, it might be better to keep schtum—the less they know, the less damage they'll be able to do.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2019; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
shtumv.
/ʃtʊm/, U.S. /ʃtʊm/ British colloquial.
intransitive. Chiefly with up. To be silent; to keep quiet; to shut up.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > taciturnity or reticence > be silent/refrain from speaking [verb (intransitive)]
to hold one's tonguec897
to keep one's tonguec897
to be (hold oneself) stilla1000
to say littleOE
to hold one's mouthc1175
to shut (also close) one's mouthc1175
to keep (one's) silence?c1225
to hold (also have, keep) one's peacea1275
stillc1330
peacec1395
mum1440
to say neither buff nor baff1481
to keep (also play) mum1532
to charm the tonguec1540
to have (also set, keep) a hatch before the door1546
hush1548
to play (at) mumbudgeta1564
not to say buff to a wolf's shadow1590
to keep a still tongue in one's head1729
to sing small1738
to sew up1785
let that fly stick in (or to) the wall1814
to say (also know) neither buff nor stye1824
to choke back1844
mumchance1854
to keep one's trap shut1899
to choke up1907
to belt up1949
to keep (or stay) shtum1958
shtum1958
the mind > language > speech > taciturnity or reticence > be silent/refrain from speaking [verb (intransitive)] > stop speaking
to make up one's mouthc1175
to shut (also close) one's mouthc1175
blina1300
dumba1300
leavea1375
to put a sock in ita1529
hush1548
silence1551
stay1551
stow1567
stop1579
to save one's breath (also wind)1605
tace1697
stubble it!1699
shut your trap!1796
to keep a calm (or quiet) sough1808
stubble your whids!1830
to shut up1840
to dry up1853
pawl1867
subside1872
to pipe down1876
to shut (one's) head, face1876
shurrup1893
to shut off1896
clam1916
dry1934
shtum1958
to oyster up1973
1958 F. Norman Bang to Rights 72 You can always shtoom up if any screws are earholeing.
1973 E. Boyd & R. Parkes Dark Number ii. 21 You start something, and then just when it's getting interesting you shtoom up.
1993 Sunday Times (Nexis) 2 May ‘Shtum, shtum. Don't draw attention.’ The aim was not to let anyone know that we were here. The maxim of Jewish existence, ‘Incognito ergo sum’.
2013 @luv4LBnJCx 30 Oct. in twitter.com (O.E.D. Archive) Tell me to shtum up if I'm too talkative.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2019; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1958
v.1958