Sing like a canary
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
To spill secrets or confess freely, chirping out everything.
Origin
From 20th-century America, tied to 1920s mob lingo; 'canary' for singers who squealed, slang by 1929 for rats. A 1930 'Chicago Tribune' uses it for a singing crook.
Variants
- Like a canary
Usage Examples
- He sang like a canary when the cops pressed.
- She's singing like a canary about the party.
- Sing like a canary; tell us who did it!
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