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  1. Aug 8, 2009 · Idiomatic expression meaning that a secret has been revealed, usually unintentionally, similar to the expression "to spill the beans." Can also be expressed as "the cat is out of the bag."

  2. Dec 29, 2020 · The old cat and the sea. The first origin story claims the phrase refers to the cat o’ nine tails, a whipping device infamously used by the Royal Navy as an instrument of punishment aboard its ...

  3. Aug 7, 2010 · To “let the cat out of the bag” comes from cats being sold as pigs or sailors being whipped for transgressions. To "let the cat out of the bag" is one of those sayings wherein meaning is ...

  4. Letting the cat out of the bag (also ...box) is a colloquialism that means to reveal facts previously hidden. It could refer to revealing a conspiracy (friendly or not) to its target, letting an outsider into an inner circle of knowledge (e.g., explaining an in-joke), or the revelation of a plot twist in a movie or play. It also means to reveal ...

    • Meaning
    • Example Sentences
    • Origin
    • Synonyms
    to reveal a secret by mistake.
    to disclose a secret, typically by accident.
    to divulge previously hidden information.
    to unintentionally make a secret public.
    I wanted to keep my job offer a secret, but my little brother overheard and let the cat out of the bag.
    The movie trailer was supposed to be a surprise, but a blogger let the cat out of the baga day early.
    The team had a special strategy for the finals, but an interview with one of the players let the cat out of the bag.
    The kids had baked a cake for their parents’ anniversary, but the smell from the kitchen let the cat out of the bag.

    The phrase originates from markets where animals were provided in bags and piglets would be substituted by cats, which, when out, would be a surprise for the audiences. In medieval England, farmers would often sell piglets at markets. These piglets were typically handed over in a sack (a “poke” in Old English, which also gives rise to the saying “b...

    spill one’s guts
    spill the soup
  5. Feb 9, 2022 · The medieval scam explanation. The most heavily cited explanation for why we say “let the cat out of the bag” dates back to the Middle Ages. As the story goes, shady livestock vendors in ...

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  7. Jul 29, 2022 · What does the term "let the cat out of the bag" actually mean? Learn about the origins of the phrase and why we use it here.

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