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Is there any expression or phrase to mean:

Not showing any reaction to one's insults,noises,accuses,provocative actions,comments and silly behaviors on purpose and make him/her mad.

We have some expressions in Persian to describe this reaction but I couldn't find in English dictionaries unless ignoring or neglecting which are too general.

2 Answers 2

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We call this "giving someone the silent treatment". When you purposefully ignore someone, no matter what they do, to simply make them angry with you, it's called "the silent treatment".

Person 1: What's up with Mark and Amy? He keeps trying to get her attention but she won't say a word.

Person 2: He forgot her birthday so she's giving him the silent treatment.

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    There's also "giving someone the cold shoulder" or "snub".
    – user264
    Commented May 13, 2013 at 0:40
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    @kiamlaluno: Only a partial answer that can be added to Wendi's. I didn't think of hers & she didn't think of mine, but she answered first, so........ I don't like to give a competing answer unless I think the other(s) is(are) wrong or seriously inadequate.
    – user264
    Commented May 13, 2013 at 12:27
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    @BillFranke: Although WendiKidd's answer is fantastic, I think your should either edit her answer to include your suggestion, or should write it in your own answer. There's nothing wrong with having lots of answers to a question when the different answers are valid. Don't think of it as "competing". Think about it being an "additional answer to the question".
    – Matt
    Commented May 13, 2013 at 13:09
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    @BillFranke The reason I suggested to add an answer is that you are suggesting a single word and a phrase; none of those were suggested in this answer. The fact you are suggesting a verb with the requested meaning makes the answer quite important not to be left as comment.
    – avpaderno
    Commented May 13, 2013 at 14:01
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    @kiamlaluno: Thank you for this explanation. I didn't think of the single word aspect, but that always does come up, doesn't it? Good call.
    – user264
    Commented May 13, 2013 at 14:23
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In addition to Wendi Kidd's answer of "giving someone the silent treatment", there's also "giving someone the cold shoulder" or "snubbing someone".

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  • +1, these are great expressions that didn't come to mind when I wrote my answer :)
    – WendiKidd
    Commented May 13, 2013 at 21:55

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