Meaning: The idiom "let the cat out of the bag" means that someone has revealed a secret or told something that was supposed to be kept hidden. It is often used when someone accidentally or carelessly shares information that was not meant to be public.

Origin: The phrase "let the cat out of the bag" comes from old marketplaces, possibly in medieval England. Some say dishonest merchants would sell a pig in a bag, but when the buyer opened the bag, they found a cat instead. If someone "let the cat out of the bag," they exposed the trick or revealed the truth. Over time, the phrase started to mean revealing any kind of secret.

Example sentences:

Personal context: “Mom wanted to keep the birthday party a surprise, but my little brother let the cat out of the bag when he told Dad about the decorations.”

Work context: “The manager was supposed to announce the promotion next week, but someone let the cat out of the bag early, and now everyone knows.”

Entertainment context: “The actor tried to keep his new movie role a secret, but his co-star accidentally let the cat out of the bag during an interview.”