Let the Cat Out of the Bag
Meaning: To reveal a secret, usually by accident.
How to use it
It’s used for surprises and secrets that weren’t meant to come out yet: a party, a pregnancy, a new job, a product launch. It’s informal and light, and it usually suggests a mistake rather than a betrayal. You can also ask “Who let the cat out of the bag?” to find out who told.
Examples
- I let the cat out of the bag about her surprise party. Oops.
- Don’t let the cat out of the bag. We’re announcing it on Monday.
- The new phone was supposed to be a secret, but a leaked photo let the cat out of the bag.
A common mistake
Keep the fixed words: let the cat out of the bag, not “let a cat out from the bag.” For a secret told on purpose, a word like “leak” or “reveal” fits better.
Where it comes from
The most common story is about market cheats who sold a cat in a bag in place of a piglet, but there’s no firm evidence for it. It’s often linked to the older phrase “buy a pig in a poke” (a poke is a bag). The idiom appears in print by the mid-1700s.
Say it out loud
Tabbi Daily gives you one short lesson like this every day. Listen, record yourself and hear how you sound. Free, no account needed.
Source: Reader’s Digest