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keep one's cards close to one's chest

To avoid revealing one's thoughts, circumstances, or plans.

Etymology:

  • Because playing cards kept close to one's chest are difficult to see for an opposing player.
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Submitted on September 01, 2009

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to keep one's cards close to one's chest

keep it upkeep one's hair onkeep one's fingers crossedkeep one's eye on the ballkeep one on one's toeskeep on truckin'keep it one hundredkeep on truckingkeep one's headkeep one's chin upkeep it upkeep one's mouth shutkeep one's eye on the ballkeep one's lips sealed

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    "keep one's cards close to one's chest." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 30 Dec. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/keep-ones-cards-close-to-ones-chest_4859>.

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