# What does ‘let the cat out of the bag’ mean?

To “let the cat out of the bag” means to reveal a secret, often by accident. Brewer's records the popular story that dishonest market sellers substituted a cat for a suckling pig in a tied sack; opening the bag exposed the swap. The tale is charming but not securely documented.

## What it means

- Brewer's records the popular story that dishonest market sellers substituted a cat for a suckling pig in a tied sack; opening the bag exposed the swap. The tale is charming but not securely documented.

## Action steps

1. Used for accidental disclosures, especially of surprises or news meant to stay quiet.
2. Example: He let the cat out of the bag about the promotion before HR announced it.

## Sources

- [Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) — Internet Archive scan](https://archive.org/details/brewers-dictionary-of-phrase-and-fable)

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