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let the cat out of the bag

To disclose a secret; to let a secret be known, often inadvertently.

Etymology:

  • The inverse of the idiom pig in a poke. If a dishonest merchant tries to sell a cat as a pig and the cat comes out or is taken out of the bag, the merchant's secret is disclosed.
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It was going to be a surprise party until someone let the cat out of the bag.

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Submitted on September 01, 2009

Additional definitions for 'let the cat out of the bag':

let the cat out of the bagA figure of speech relative to someone revealing an important event or secret to the world thereby spoiling the entire thrust of a surprise.
let the cat out of the bagTo reveal a secret. Monique let the cat out of the bag when she told Courtney about the surprise birthday party.
Let the Cat Out of the BagTo expose something, to disclose a secret
See them all »

Translation

Find a translation for the let the cat out of the bag phrase in other languages:

die Katze aus dem Sack lassen

ಬೆಕ್ಕನ್ನು ಚೀಲದಿಂದ ಹೊರಗೆ ಬಿಡಿ

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to let the cat out of the bag

Let the Chips Fall Where They Maylet slidelet there be lightlet uplet there be lightlet them have itlet someone in onlet someone golet slidelet there be no reprisals, said the wid…let someone have itlet somebody in onlet the chips fall where they mayLet Sleeping Dogs Lie

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    "let the cat out of the bag." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Nov. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/let-the-cat-out-of-the-bag_5061>.

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