What is your understanding of the phrase: 'Let the cat out of the bag'?

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   suncatposted 13 years ago

   What is your understanding of the phrase: 'Let the cat out of the bag'?
   
   Can you think of the situation when it would be a good phrase to use?
   Or do you know another one that has a similar meaning?
   
   

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2. 60

   marymac47posted 13 years ago

   I know the saying, "He/she let the cat out of the bag." which has always meant to me what was a secret and not to be told isn't a secret anymore!

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3. 62

   Jarnposted 13 years ago

   The modern meaning is to let out a secret that someone else was trying to keep. It originated as part of a confidence scam in the Medieval period in which piglets were sold at market, pre-bagged to keep them from running off. A dishonest man might have a few piglets in bags for show, and sell them, but when the exchange came, actually hand off cats in bags for coin. Letting the cat out of the bag is the moment you learned you'd been scammed, or more generally, that you learned a secret.

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4. 0

   Richard Kumarposted 13 years ago

   One situation could be when someone tells a secret.
   Another could be when a cat really does come out of the bag! That's irony.

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5. 66

   Sembjposted 13 years ago

   It probably has its origin in much the same roots as the phrase: "Buy a pig in a poke." A cat was substituted for a pig, chicken or some other kind of meat when a medieval customer made his or her purchase - but if the cat was let out of the bag, the jig would be up, as it were.

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6. 60

   Dave Mathewsposted 13 years ago

   Mine is:....... Open up the bag so that the cat can escape out.

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7. 60

   iverhunt04posted 13 years ago

   When a cat comes out of the bag one would imagine it had been kept in there against its will.  When it came out, bang it would be a big deal and so if you use this expression something big is about to be released.

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8. 60

   Apostle Jackposted 13 years ago

   It means what was hidden,is now reveal.The devil finally got lose.
   The other side is showing.I can finally do what I want to do.
   Either one refer to that phrase.

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9. 61

   furnituremanposted 13 years ago

   It is an idiomatic expression which means you should not divulge your secret. "Do not let your cat out of the bag." Meaning, don't let others know of your secret.

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