let the cat out of the bag
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Related to let the cat out of the bag: Truth will out
cat
(kăt)n.
1.
a. A small domesticated carnivorous mammal (Felis catus), kept as a pet and as catcher of vermin, and existing in a variety of breeds.
b. Any of various other carnivorous mammals of the family Felidae, including the lion, tiger, leopard, and lynx.
2. Informal A woman who is regarded as spiteful.
3. Slang
a. A person, especially a man.
b. A player or devotee of jazz music.
4. A cat-o'-nine-tails.
5. A catfish.
6. Nautical
a. A cathead.
b. A device for raising an anchor to the cathead.
c. A catboat.
d. A catamaran.
v. cat·ted, cat·ting, cats
v.tr. Nautical
To hoist an anchor to (the cathead).
v.intr. Slang
Idiom: To look for sexual partners; have an affair or affairs: "catting around with every lady in sight" (Gore Vidal).
let the cat out of the bag
To let a secret be known.
[Middle English, from Old English catt, from Germanic *kattuz; akin to Late Latin cattus and Old Church Slavonic kotŭka, all ultimately of unknown origin. Sense 6d, short for catamaran.]
CAT
abbr.
1. clear-air turbulence
2. computerized axial tomography
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
let the cat out of the bag
To give away a secret; from the idea of selling someone what they think is a pig inside a bag that actually contains only a cat.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Verb | 1. |  let the cat out of the bag - divulge confidential information or secrets; "Be careful--his secretary talks"disclose, let on, divulge, expose, give away, let out, reveal, unwrap, discover, bring out, break - make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret; "The auction house would not disclose the price at which the van Gogh had sold"; "The actress won't reveal how old she is"; "bring out the truth"; "he broke the news to her"; "unwrap the evidence in the murder case" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
يُفْشي سِرّا بِدون قَصْد
vyžvanit tajemství
die Katze aus dem Sack lassenKatze aus dem Sack lassen
elárulja a titkot
leysa frá skjóðunniljóstra upp leyndarmálitala af sér
vyzradiť tajomstvo
ağzından kaçırmak
cat
(kӕt) noun1. a small, four-legged, fur-covered animal often kept as a pet. a Siamese cat.
2. a large wild animal of the same family (eg tiger, lion etc). the big cats.
ˈcatty adjective spiteful, malicious. She's catty even about her best friend; catty remarks.
ˈcatcall noun a shrill whistle showing disagreement or disapproval. the catcalls of the audience.
ˈcatfish noun any of a family of scaleless fish with long feelers round the mouth.
ˈcatgut noun a kind of cord made from the intestines of sheep etc, used for violin strings etc.
ˌcat's-ˈeye noun a small, thick piece of glass fixed in the surface of a road to reflect light and guide drivers at night.
ˈcatsuit noun a woman's close-fitting one-piece trouser suit.
ˈcattail noun a tall plant that grows in wet places, with flowers shaped like a cat's tail.
let the cat out of the bag to let a secret become known unintentionally.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.