English · Greetings & Phrases
let the cat out of the bag
/let ðə kæt aʊt əv ðə bæɡ/
[/let ðə kæt aʊt əv ðə bæɡ/]
reveal a secret
Intermediatephrase
Definition
To reveal a secret carelessly or by mistake.
Example
He let the cat out of the bag about the merger before the official announcement was made.
He let the cat out of the bag about the merger before the official announcement was made.
Etymology
Possibly from market fraud where a cat was substituted for a piglet in a bag, exposed when revealed.
How & Where It’s Used
Informal and common for accidentally disclosing secrets.