Let the cat out of the bag
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
Reveal a secret, usually unintentionally or before the intended time.
Origin
The expression was already established when it appeared in an Edinburgh Magazine review in 1760, and it occurs several more times in the 1760s, including in British financial writing. The original image behind the cat and bag is unknown. The popular market-scam story, in which a seller substitutes a cat for a piglet in a sack, has no evidence connecting it to this phrase; nor does the story about a cat-o'-nine-tails kept in a naval bag. Both are later attempts to explain wording whose original context has been lost.
Research Sources
Variants
- The cat is out of the bag
- The cat's out of the bag
Usage Examples
- Owen let the cat out of the bag by mentioning the farewell party in front of Mia.
- Once the budget appeared online, the cat was out of the bag and the minister confirmed the plan.
- Do not let the cat out of the bag until every winner has been contacted.