conspiracy of silence

English

Etymology

From conspiracy +‎ of +‎ silence.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kənˌspɪɹəsi əv ˈsaɪləns/

Noun

conspiracy of silence (plural conspiracies of silence)

1. Synonym of wall of silence.
   • 1889, H. Rider Haggard, chapter 24, in Beatrice:

     But neither spoke to the other on the subject. They had entered into a conspiracy of silence.

   • 1902, E. W. Hornung, chapter 31, in At Large:

     Biggs—in the presence of Colonel Bristo—made a last effort to induce Sergeant Compton to join the conspiracy of silence regarding the identity of Miles, the Australian adventurer.

   • 1919, Jerome K. Jerome, chapter 2, in All Roads Lead to Calvary:

     That its educated followers no longer believed in a physical Hell, that its more advanced clergy had entered into a conspiracy of silence on the subject was no answer.

   • 2001 May 15, Jane E. Brody, “A Conversation with Dan Shapiro: A Doctor's Story of Hope, Humor and Deadly Cancer”, in New York Times, retrieved 8 August 2012:

     “There's a conspiracy of silence in medicine around death and dying.”

Translations

an agreement

• German: (verb) Stillschweigen vereinbaren, Schweigekartell n
• Polish: zmowa milczenia (pl) f

See also

• omertà
• Vegas rule

References

• “conspiracy of silence”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.