What does Let the cat out of the bag mean? Meanings, origins, and usage

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1. What is Let the cat out of the bag?

2. Origins of the idiom Let the cat out of the bag

3. Usage of the Idiom Let the cat out of the bag

3.1. Unintentionally or due to error reveal secret information

3.2. Intentionally reveal secret information

3.3. Carelessness in conversation

3.4. Unavoidable situation

3.5. Discovering a truth

4. Conversation involving Let the cat out of the bag

5. Synonyms for the idiom Let the cat out of the bag

6. Antonyms for the idiom Let the cat out of the bag

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Đọc tóm tắt

- Let the cat out of the bag means to disclose a secret or confidential information unintentionally.
- Origins of the idiom relate to medieval times and a 16th-century game involving a cat in a bag.
- Usage of the idiom includes unintentional or intentional disclosure of secrets, carelessness in conversation, and unavoidable situations.
- Synonyms for the idiom include spill the beans, give the game away, blow one’s cover, spill the secret, give it away, and open one’s mouth.
- Antonyms for the idiom include keep a secret, maintain confidentiality, hush up, keep mum, conceal the truth, and guard one’s tongue.
- Apply the idiom Let the cat out of the bag in English communication to make conversations more interesting and enhance vocabulary. Visit Mytour's IELTS Vocabulary section for further reference.

When a situation arises to unintentionally reveal information, that's when you should use the phrase Let the cat out of the bag. Let's delve deeper into the meaning of this idiom and how to apply it in English communication with Mytour!

1. What is Let the cat out of the bag?

Let the cat out of the bag means to disclose a secret or information that was originally kept confidential. When someone lets the cat out of the bag, they have unintentionally revealed information, often making a secret public and no longer confidential.

Let the cat out of the bag means to disclose a secret or information that was originally kept confidential

Ex 1:

Mary: I can’t believe you let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party! Tôi không thể tin nổi bạn đã tiết lộ bí mật về bữa tiệc bất ngờ!
John: I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to. It just slipped out. Tôi rất xin lỗi, tôi không có ý. Nó chỉ tự thoát ra mà thôi.

Ex 2:

Lisa: Don’t let the cat out of the bag, but I heard that Sarah is getting promoted next week. Đừng để lọt thông tin cho người khác, nhưng tôi nghe nói rằng Sarah sẽ được thăng chức vào tuần tới.
Mike: Wow, that’s great news! Thanks for telling me. Wow, tin này thật tuyệt vời! Cảm ơn bạn đã nói cho tôi.

Ex 3:

Amy: I accidentally let the cat out of the bag about our vacation plans. Tôi đã vô tình tiết lộ kế hoạch nghỉ của chúng ta.
Tom: It’s okay, it was going to come out eventually. Let’s just enjoy the anticipation! Không sao, cuối cùng nó cũng sẽ lộ ra. Hãy cùng chờ đợi nào!

Ex 4:

David: I can’t believe Jane let the cat out of the bag regarding her engagement before the official announcement. Tôi không thể tin Jane đã để lọt thông tin về việc cô đính hôn trước khi thông báo chính thức.
Rachel: It was hard for her to keep it a secret, but I’m happy for her. Đó là điều khó khăn với cô ấy để giữ bí mật, nhưng tôi rất vui cho cô ấy.

Ex 5:

Mark: I almost let the cat out of the bag when I was talking to Tom’s wife about his surprise birthday party. Tôi suýt nói lọt thông tin khi tôi nói chuyện với vợ của Tom về bữa tiệc sinh nhật bất ngờ của anh ấy.
Sarah: Thankfully, she didn’t catch on. We want it to be a complete surprise! May mắn là cô ấy không hiểu. Chúng ta muốn nó là một bất ngờ hoàn toàn!

2. Origins of the idiom Let the cat out of the bag

One of the hypotheses about the origin of this idiom relates to the medieval period when cats were used to catch mice. According to this hypothesis, a cat would be let out of a bag into a barn or building where there was a mouse problem.

Another hypothesis about the origin of this idiom suggests that it originated from a popular game in the 16th century. In this game, a cat was placed in a bag, which was then passed around a group of people. The person holding the bag when it was opened would be the winner. This game can be seen as a metaphor for revealing a secret, as the person who opens the bag reveals the secret to the others in the group.

This idiom relates to the medieval period when cats were used to catch mice

There are two commonly cited origins. First, the initial origin involves a trick where a piglet would be exchanged for a cat in a bag at a market. If the cat was let out of the bag, the buyer would realize they had been deceived and avoided buying a 'pig in a poke' (where 'poke' refers to a bag). This fraud has persisted for centuries, and the phrase 'pig in a poke' was first recorded in 1530.

Another hypothesis suggests that 'cat' in this idiom is related to 'cat o' nine tails,' a type of whip used to flog sailors. This hypothesis is plausible because the 'cat o' nine tails' was widely used in the navy and first mentioned in publications in the 16th century. The name 'cat o' nine tails' comes from the whip being made of nine knotted cords, believed to resemble a cat's claws.

In the latter two hypotheses, the origin of 'pig in a poke' seems more feasible. There is no direct evidence linking 'letting the cat out of the bag' to pet sales, but the phrase exists similarly in other languages such as Dutch ('Een kat in de zak kopen') and German ('Die Katze im Sack kaufen'), both meaning 'to buy a cat in a bag.' The 'cat o' nine tails' hypothesis is less likely because it does not explain the meaning of the phrase 'disclose a secret.'

3. Usage of the Idiom Let the cat out of the bag

Usage of the Idiom Reveal the secret

3.1. Unintentionally or due to error reveal secret information

When someone unintentionally reveals information they should not.

Eg: I can’t believe Sarah revealed the surprise party. Now everyone knows! Tôi không thể tin được là Sarah đã tiết lộ về bữa tiệc bất ngờ. Bây giờ mọi người đều biết!

3.2. Intentionally reveal secret information

When someone intentionally discloses confidential information, it may be to provoke or for personal gain.

Eg: Tom intentionally revealed that he was leaving the company to work for a competitor. It seems like he wanted to upset his boss. Tom đã chủ đích tiết lộ rằng anh ấy sẽ rời công ty để làm việc cho đối thủ cạnh tranh. Dường như anh ấy muốn làm phẫn nộ sếp của mình.

3.3. Carelessness in conversation

When someone talks too much and unintentionally reveals information they shouldn't know.

Eg: While conversing with my colleague, I accidentally disclosed information about the upcoming layoffs. I hope it won't cause any issues. Tôi đã vô tình tiết lộ thông tin về việc cắt giảm việc làm sắp tới trong lúc trò chuyện với đồng nghiệp. Hy vọng nó sẽ không gây ra vấn đề nào.

3.4. Unavoidable situation

When information disclosure is inevitable, whether intentional or unintentional.

Eg: We had to reveal the information when the product launch was delayed. Customers were eagerly waiting, and we couldn’t keep it a secret any longer. Chúng tôi đã phải tiết lộ thông tin khi việc ra mắt sản phẩm bị trì hoãn. Khách hàng đang rất háo hức chờ đợi, và chúng tôi không thể giữ bí mật nữa.

3.5. Discovering a truth

This phrase can also imply the discovery or disclosure of a truth, even if it's not a secret.

Eg: The investigation revealed the truth, showing that the company’s financial records were not as clean as they claimed. Cuộc điều tra đã tiết lộ sự thật, cho thấy rằng hồ sơ tài chính của công ty không sạch sẽ như họ tuyên bố.

4. Conversation involving Let the cat out of the bag

Conversation involving Let the cat out of the bag

John: Hey, did you hear about the surprise birthday party for Lisa? Chào, bạn đã nghe về bữa tiệc sinh nhật bất ngờ cho Lisa chưa?
Sarah: No, I didn’t. What’s the surprise! Không, tôi chưa nghe. Bất ngờ thật!
John: Well, I accidentally let the cat out of the bag when I was talking to her yesterday. I mentioned that we were all planning a surprise party at her favorite restaurant. À, tôi đã vô tình để lọt thông tin khi tôi nói chuyện với cô ấy ngày hôm qua. Tôi đề cập rằng chúng tôi đang lên kế hoạch tổ chức một bữa tiệc bất ngờ tại nhà hàng yêu thích của cô ấy.
Sarah: Oh no, John! You should’ve kept it a secret. Now it’s not going to be a surprise anymore. Ôi không, John! Bạn nên giữ kín thông tin đó. Bây giờ nó sẽ không còn bất ngờ nữa.
John: I know, I feel terrible about it. I hope she’ll still be happy with the party. Tôi biết, tôi cảm thấy rất áy náy về điều đó. Tôi hy vọng cô ấy vẫn sẽ hạnh phúc với bữa tiệc.
Sarah: Well, we’ll have to make it extra special to make up for it! Vậy thì, chúng ta sẽ phải tổ chức nó đặc biệt hơn để bù đắp cho điều đó!
John: That’s a great idea. Let’s go all out to make her birthday memorable. Đó là ý tưởng tốt. Hãy điều đó để làm cho ngày sinh nhật của cô ấy đáng nhớ.
Sarah: Absolutely, and this time, no more letting the cat out of the bag! Hoàn toàn đúng, và lần này, không để lọt thông tin nữa!

5. Synonyms for the idiom Let the cat out of the bag

Here are some words and phrases synonymous with the idiom Let the cat out of the bag:

Từ đồng nghĩa	Ý nghĩa	Ví dụ
Let the cat out of the bag	Tiết lộ thông tin hoặc bí mật ban đầu được giữ kín.	She accidentally let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party, so it’s no longer a secret.
Spill the beans	Tiết lộ thông tin hoặc bí mật một cách vô tình hoặc cố ý.	She accidentally spilled the beans about the surprise party, so it’s no longer a secret.
Give the game away	Làm lộ ra thông tin hoặc kế hoạch không cẩn thận.	He gave the game away when he started asking too many questions about our project.
Blow one’s cover	Tiết lộ danh tính hoặc thông tin cá nhân mà không nên.	The spy accidentally blew his cover by revealing his true name to the enemy agent.
Spill the secret	Tiết lộ thông tin bí mật.	Please don’t spill the secret about the surprise gift we got for Mom.
Give it away	Làm lộ ra điều gì đó một cách dễ dàng hoặc không cố ý.	She gave it away when she couldn’t stop smiling during the discussion about the promotion.
Open one’s mouth	Nói những điều không nên nói, dẫn đến tiết lộ thông tin.	He always opens his mouth when he shouldn’t, and that’s how the rumors spread.

6. Antonyms for the idiom Let the cat out of the bag

Here are some words and phrases that are antonyms of the idiom Let the cat out of the bag:

Từ trái nghĩa	Ý nghĩa	Ví dụ
Keep a secret	Giữ kín thông tin hoặc bí mật mà không tiết lộ.	She knows how to keep a secret. She never lets anything slip.
Maintain confidentiality	Duy trì tính bảo mật của thông tin.	As a lawyer, it’s important to maintain confidentiality about your clients’ cases.
Hush up	Giữ kín, không công khai hoặc không tiết lộ thông tin.	They decided to hush up the details of the incident to avoid negative publicity.
Keep mum	Không nói gì, giữ im lặng về một chủ đề hoặc thông tin.	He always keeps mum about his personal life, and we respect his privacy.
Conceal the truth	Giấu đi sự thật hoặc thông tin một cách cố ý.	The company tried to conceal the truth about the safety issues with their product.
Guard one’s tongue	Kiểm soát lưỡi, không nói về điều gì đó mà bạn không nên.	He had to guard his tongue during the meeting to avoid revealing sensitive information.

Mytour hopes to help you understand more about the idiom Let the cat out of the bag. Apply this idiom flexibly in communication to make conversations more interesting!You can enhance your vocabulary and idioms by visiting Mytour's IELTS Vocabulary section for further reference!

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