take the Fifth
idiomatic phrase
variants
or less commonly take the Fifth Amendment
chiefly US
: to refuse to testify against oneself in a court of law in accordance with the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution : plead the Fifth
She got called to testify … and took the Fifth. That's certainly her right …—
Ed Morrissey
Ed MorrisseyGovernment lawyers say he took the Fifth Amendment in response to 176 of 390 questions he was asked.—Josh Gerstein
—often used figurativelyJosh GersteinI would really like to say something funny here, but will instead take the Fifth.—Mike Vaccaro
Mike Vaccaro… I kind of have to take the Fifth. Mainly because I never talk about my own work in progress …—William Gibson, quoted at wired.com
William Gibson, quoted at wired.comDictionary Entries Near take the Fifth
Cite this Entry
“Take the Fifth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20the%20Fifth. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share