verb phrase🎓 English idiom
let the cat out of the bag
to reveal a secret
What it means
To reveal a secret carelessly or by mistake, especially one that was meant to be kept hidden. It's used when information slips out and can no longer be taken back.
Examples
- He let the cat out of the bag about the new baby too early.
- Try not to let the cat out of the bag before the official announcement.
- Someone let the cat out of the bag and ruined the surprise.
- I let the cat out of the bag by mentioning her gift in front of her.
Where it comes from
The origin is uncertain; a popular theory says dishonest market sellers substituted a worthless cat for a piglet in a sack, and the trick was exposed when the cat was let out. The phrase appears in English by the 1700s.
Related idioms
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