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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 the puppies breathelet the dog see the rabbitlet the perfect be the enemy of the goodlet the door hit you where the good Lor…let someone have itlet the chips fall where they maylet sliplet there be lightlet uplet somebody downlet something slipLet Sleeping Dogs Lielet slip

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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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