Nautical Term/Phrase Wednesday: Let The Cat Out of the Bag
In the Royal Navy the punishment prescribed for most serious crimes was flogging. This was administered by the Bosun’s Mate using a whip called a cat o’ nine tails. The “cat” was kept in a leather or baize bag. It was considered bad news indeed when the cat was let out of the bag.
Date Posted: April 29, 2009 at 5:57 AM
April 30, 2009 at 9:21 AMKaren James
So how did that come to mean spilling the beans?
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May 5, 2009 at 5:44 PMMatt H.
Maybe when you release the cat on a person they would spill the beans as a result?
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