What does this term mean to let the cat out of the bag?
2006-07-26 10:30:47 · 11 answers · asked by Douglas G 2 in Social Science ➔ Psychology
Traditionally you put unwanted kittens in a bag and chuck them in a river, but you don't tell anyone about it.
2006-07-26 10:33:11 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
LOL and OMG to the answer above
This is actually an old naval term. The cat refers to the cat-o-nine tails, which was a braided whip, that was used to whip sailors for various infractions. It was called the cat because of the scratches it would leave behind. The "cat" was kept in a bag and when it came out, of course, bad things happened. The source for this was a recent article in the New Yorker, about the retracing of the route James Cook took in his attempt to find the new world.
2006-07-26 10:33:51 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
you do not positioned the cat in the bag...obviously. imagine any incorrect way. The cat ought to have wandered right into a huge bag, and without be conscious, someone ought to've zipped up the bag? Or, there's a loopy cat with rabies and animal administration comes and places it in a sealed bag. they say "enable the cat out of the bag" telling that they have got enable something undesirable on the loose. Get it now?
2016-11-26 01:28:02 · answer #3 · answered by headlee 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Let the cat out of the bag
Meaning
To disclose a secret.
Origin
A favourite country trick used to be to substitute a cat for a pig at markets. If you let the cat out of the bag you disclosed the trick - and avoided buying a pig in a poke (bag).
2006-07-26 10:41:03 · answer #4 · answered by clair 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Meaning
To disclose a secret.
Origin
A favourite country trick used to be to substitute a cat for a pig at markets. If you let the cat out of the bag you disclosed the trick - and avoided buying a pig in a poke (bag).
2006-07-26 10:34:31 · answer #5 · answered by NicNac 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good question. I'm just guessing here but I think the cat is a metaphor for information that is meant to be contained because it's premature release will have a deleterious effect on a desired outcome. ie. accidentally letting someone know there is a surprise party for them ruins the surprise, therefore you let the cat out of the bag.
2006-07-26 10:38:10 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Let the cat out of the bag, means to tell someone before they was supposed to know, or tell someone something they aren't supposed to know
2006-07-26 10:34:10 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
some animal abuser.
Bad ,bad ,bad!
I let the cat out of the bag I will do it again and again.
good,good,good.
Stamp out animal cruelty now.
2006-07-26 10:37:45 · answer #8 · answered by witchfromoz2003 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I did. It crawled in there on it's own because it was nice n' cozy in there. It means to leak a secret to everyone.
2006-07-26 10:36:30 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its a metaphor that means to tell a secret.
2006-07-26 10:33:58 · answer #10 · answered by jagerchick80 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋