Idioms for cat

    bell the cat, to attempt something formidable or dangerous.
    let the cat out of the bag, to divulge a secret, especially inadvertently or carelessly: He let the cat out of the bag, and the surprise party wasn't a surprise after all.

Origin of cat

before 900; Middle English cat, catte, Old English catt (masculine), catte (feminine); cognate with Old Frisian, Middle Dutch katte, Old High German kazza, Old Norse kǫttr, Irish cat, Welsh cath (Slavic *kotŭ, Lithuanian katė̃ perhaps < Gmc), Late Latin cattus, catta (first attested in the 4th century, presumably with the introduction of domestic cats); ultimately origin obscure

British Dictionary definitions for let the cat out of the bag (1 of 4)

CAT

abbreviation for

computer-aided teaching
computer-assisted trading

British Dictionary definitions for let the cat out of the bag (2 of 4)

cat 1
/ (kæt) /

noun

verb cats, catting or catted

Derived forms of cat

catlike, adjective cattish, adjective

Word Origin for cat

Old English catte, from Latin cattus; related to Old Norse köttr, Old High German kazza, Old French chat, Russian kot

British Dictionary definitions for let the cat out of the bag (3 of 4)

cat 2
/ (kæt) /

noun

informal short for catamaran (def. 1)

British Dictionary definitions for let the cat out of the bag (4 of 4)

cat 3
/ (kæt) /

noun

  1. short for catalytic converter
  2. (as modifier)a cat car

adjective

short for catalytic a cat cracker

Medical definitions for let the cat out of the bag

CAT

abbr.

computerized axial tomography

Cultural definitions for let the cat out of the bag

let the cat out of the bag

To disclose a secret: “The mayor's visit was to be kept strictly confidential, but someone must have let the cat out of the bag, because the airport was swarming with reporters.”

Idioms and Phrases with let the cat out of the bag (1 of 2)

let the cat out of the bag

Give away a secret, as in Mom let the cat out of the bag and told us Karen was engaged. This expression alludes to the dishonest practice of a merchant substituting a worthless cat for a valuable pig, which is discovered only when the buyer gets home and opens the bag. [Mid-1700s] Also see pig in a poke.

Idioms and Phrases with let the cat out of the bag (2 of 2)

cat