take the fifth イディオム
take the Fifth
hide behind the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution which guarantees any witness the right not to incriminate himself while testifying at a trial He decided to take the Fifth rather than tell the truth at the trial.
take the fifth|fifth|take
v. phr.,
informal 1. Taking refuge behind the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States which guarantees any witness the right not to incriminate himself while testifying at a trial.
Alger Hiss took the Fifth when asked whether he was a member of the Communist Party. 2. Not to answer any question in an informal setting.
Have you been married before?
I take the Fifth.take the fifth (amendment)
1. To debris to affirm adjoin oneself in court, in accordance with the appropriate affirmed by the Fifth Alteration to the United States Constitution, allotment of the Bill of Rights. The actor took the fifth afterwards every catechism the case put to him. There is belief that he will booty the fifth alteration if he is asked about his accomplishments beneath oath.2. By extension, to debris to acknowledgment a catechism or accommodate information, abnormally if accomplishing so may allege or abash oneself. Just booty the fifth if your mom asks area you've been all night! A: "So, I apprehend things got appealing blowzy at the affair aftermost night." B: "Yeah, I'm activity to accept to booty the fifth alteration on that one!"Learn more: fifth, taketake the Fifth
Refuse to acknowledgment on the area that one may allege oneself, as in He took the Fifth on so abounding of the prosecutor's questions that we're abiding he's guilty. This argot refers to the Fifth Alteration to the U.S. Constitution, which states that no being shall be accountable to be a attestant adjoin himself or herself. [Mid-1900s] Learn more: fifth, taketake the fifth
(in the USA) exercise the appropriate of abnegation to acknowledgment questions in adjustment to abstain incriminating yourself. The advertence in this byword is to Article V of the ten aboriginal amendments ( 1791 ) to the Constitution of the United States, which states that ‘no person…shall be accountable in any bent case to be a attestant adjoin himself’.Learn more: fifth, taketake/plead the ˈfifth
(American English) accomplish use of the appropriate to debris to acknowledgment questions in cloister about a crime, because you may accord advice which will accomplish it assume that you are guiltyFrom the Fifth Alteration of the US Constitution, which guarantees this right.Learn more: fifth, plead, taketake the fifth
1. and five it tv. to debris to affirm to a U.S. aldermanic board beneath the aegis of the Fifth Alteration to the U.S. Constitution. The advocate aloof sat there and said, “Five it” afterwards every question.
2. tv. to abatement to acknowledgment any questions. I’ll booty the fifth on that one. Ask Fred. Learn more: fifth, take