Question of the Day #888

Cohn let the cat out of the bag so far as the “fight against inflation” is concerned, making clear it has nothing to do with the price hikes ripping apart living standards and that its central focus is only on one price: that of labour power, wages.

From the headline of this article at the World Socialist Web Site.

  上記の文で、let the cat out of the bagの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "let the cat out of the bag" mean?

  答えは、コメントに書いてください。
Write your answer in the Comments.

明日、ここに答えを書きます。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

 

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解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

うっかり秘密を漏らす

   

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

To reveal a secret.

 

語源

英辞郎によると、

【語源】袋に入れた猫を「豚が入っている」とうそをついて売ろうとしたら、袋を開けられて、秘密がばれてしまったという話から。

と言うことになっていますが、諸説がありどれも今ひとつ信ぴょう性に疑問があります。
 

Etymology

According to Today I Found Out,

There have been a few origin stories put forth about how this idiom came to be.

However, this article and others have all noted that each origin story is suspect.
 

Examples

• I was trying to keep the party a secret, but Mel went and let the cat out of the bag.
• That's let the cat out of the bag. The Guardian (2020)
• `The Mosses didn't tell the cops my name, did they?' `Of course not,' she said. `They wouldn't want to let the cat out of the bag.'
• When Bill glanced at the door, he let the cat out of the bag. We knew then that he was expecting someone to arrive.
• How did Mom find out we were planning a surprise party for her? Who let the cat out of the bag?

   

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