What does "let the cat out of the bag" mean?
"Let the cat out of the bag" means to accidentally reveal a secret. Here's where it comes from and how it differs from "spill the beans".
What it means
To accidentally reveal a secret or surprise that was supposed to be kept hidden.
"He let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party."
"I've let the cat out of the bag - pretend you don't know."
Where it comes from
Medieval markets, where unscrupulous traders would put a cat in a bag and sell it as a piglet. If the buyer opened the bag, the deception was revealed - the "cat was out of the bag." Also the origin of "buying a pig in a poke."
How it differs from "spill the beans"
Both involve revealing secrets. "Spill the beans" is often deliberate or accidental. "Let the cat out of the bag" implies the secret was being hidden in something (a plan, a surprise) and someone opened it.
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Casual. Very common in everyday speech.
What does "let the cat out of the bag" mean?
To accidentally reveal a secret or surprise that was supposed to be kept hidden.
"He let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party."
"I've let the cat out of the bag - pretend you don't know."
Is "let the cat out of the bag" formal or informal?
Casual. Very common in everyday speech.
Why do native speakers say "let the cat out of the bag"?
Medieval markets, where unscrupulous traders would put a cat in a bag and sell it as a piglet. If the buyer opened the bag, the deception was revealed - the "cat was out of the bag." Also the origin of "buying a pig in a poke."
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