Explaining "Do not wash your dirty linen in public"

Reviewed and edited by

Anwar Kareem 23/11/2024, 19:57

English.me team member

What does it mean?

The phrase means that one should not discuss private, embarrassing, or sensitive issues in public, especially regarding personal or family matters.

Tone

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Origin

The phrase is believed to have originated in France and made its way into English usage in the 19th century. It is a metaphorical expression where "dirty linen" symbolizes personal affairs that one might not want to expose to public scrutiny.

Examples of usage

They decided not to discuss their financial disagreements at the dinner party, remembering the saying, "Do not wash your dirty linen in public."
When the team started arguing loudly in the meeting, the manager reminded them, "Let's not wash our dirty linen in public. We'll deal with this later."