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This is undoubtedly a reference to the cruel but formerly common practice of getting rid of an unwanted or troublesome cat by placing it in a bag (probably with a rock) in preparation for drowning it. If someone releases the animal, then "the cat is out of the bag" and the perpetrator cannot complete his task. Today, we often use this phrase to indicate that someone has revealed a secret and thus spoiled a surprise.
Wiki User
∙ 9y ago
Wiki User
∙ 8y ago"To let the cat out of the bag" means to reveal something that the people in the conversation were trying to avoid talking about, or were trying to hide.
The origin of this phrase dates back to the medieval European marketplaces. Farmers would bring their piglets to market in small bags called "pokes." They would open the bags for their customers upon request in order to show that the pigs were of good quality. Occasionally, some unscrupulous pig farmer who had had a bad year would bring cats he had caught and try to sell them as piglets. These farmers would try to sell the customers a "pig in a poke" (that is, to sell the customer the "pig" sight unseens by telling them that "if you open the poke, the pig will escape." Every once in a while, a customer would call such a farmer's bluff, and let the cat out of the bag.
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∙ 11y agoThe 'Cat-o-Nine-Tail's was a multi-headed whip that often hung in a leather pouch(bag) on the hip of the bosun on sailing ships.
If the cat was out of the bag, so to speak, somebody was being punished for doing something wrong.
In current contexts, the wrongdoing is often associated with telling a secret that was meant to be kept.
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∙ 13y agoits allusion is letting the secret out the bag
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∙ 12y agoWiki User
∙ 12y agoIt Means The Secret Is Now Known
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∙ 11y agoyes
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What is an example sentence for when the cat out of the bag?
Julie's face turned red when Jasper let the cat out of the bag.
What is the idiomatic meaning for allow the cat to escape from the bag?
You mean "let the cat out of the bag" -- it doesn't work if you don't use those exact words. It means to tell something that was supposed to be a secret. The original term was a literal one -- people would sell what they claimed was a piglet, put into a bag to be easily carried, but instead of a valuable pig that could be eaten, they'd put a cat into a bag instead, and save the piglet to "sell" again. If you "let the cat out of the bag," you exposed the scam to everyone.
What is a synonyms for blurted?
The synonym for blurted can be told someone, let someone know and if it is a secret then let the cat out of the bag.
What does a tucker bag mean from Waltzing Matilda?
what dose a tucker bag mean from the song Waltzing Matilda
What does cunk bag mean?
It is the same as a douche bag according to the Urban Dictionary.
What does don't let the cat out the bag mean?
it means don't let someone know the surpriseThis classic saying means to tell a secret or something that shouldn't have been said. If someone lets the cat out of the bag they spoiled a surprise or told a secret. Here's how to use it in a sentence: "Jeremy let the cat out of the bag on Friday so Bob knew we were throwing a party that night." So, Jeremy told Bob about the party, 'let the cat out of the bag', and told the secret early."Don't let the cat our of the bag" mean "Don't tell my secret.""Letting the cat out of the bag" is telling a secret, usually inadvertently.
What is an example sentence for when the cat out of the bag?
Julie's face turned red when Jasper let the cat out of the bag.
Now you got the cat out of what?
Let the cat out of the bag... "you spoiled the surprise"
What is an example of a sentence using let the cat out of the bag?
Melonie didn't know about her surprise party until someone was talking to her and accidentally let the cat out of the bag.
Don't let the cat out of the bag!?
Mr. Prince thinks he's the cat's pajamas!
What is the idiomatic meaning for allow the cat to escape from the bag?
You mean "let the cat out of the bag" -- it doesn't work if you don't use those exact words. It means to tell something that was supposed to be a secret. The original term was a literal one -- people would sell what they claimed was a piglet, put into a bag to be easily carried, but instead of a valuable pig that could be eaten, they'd put a cat into a bag instead, and save the piglet to "sell" again. If you "let the cat out of the bag," you exposed the scam to everyone.
What does cat is in the bag and the bag is in the river mean?
The cat is in the bag and the bag is in the river.The cat is drowning or already drowned.ANS2:That would be an ailurophobe's analogy for describing how a solution to a problem has been devised and implemented.
What did they mean leat the cat out of the bage why can't it could be a bird?
Let th cat out of the bag is a metaphor. It means,'now you have caused problems'.A cat that has been tied into a bag becomes a very mean,angry creature, bearing a grudge against everything and every body. You undo that bag and whatever size cat you have, you have trouble. Out comes a spitting, snarling, scratching, biting monster. I doubt you will get that response from a bird.
The cat went back into the bag?
So the guy who let it out is off the hook.
What does let the cat out the cat mean?
to tell a secret
What is a synonyms for blurted?
The synonym for blurted can be told someone, let someone know and if it is a secret then let the cat out of the bag.
Now you've let the cat out of?
The BAG! (A saying wherein you have given away a secret.)
