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English Idioms relating to
SECRETS - DISCRETION / INDISCRETION
 

 Bite your tongue.  If you bite your tongue, you try not to say what you really think or feel.
 "It was difficult for me not to react; I had to bite my tongue."
 Let the cat out of the bag.  If you let the cat out of the bag, you reveal a secret,
 often not intentionally.
 In the dark   If someone is kept or left in the dark about something, they are not
 informed about it .
 "The personnel were kept in the dark about the merger until the last
 minute."
 Turn a blind eye  If you turn a blind eye to something, you ignore it intentionally.
 Fly on the wall  This expression is used to describe a person who watches a situation
 without being noticed.
 "I'd like to be a fly on the wall when the management discusses my
 project."
 Give the game away  If you give the game away, you reveal a secret or a plan, often
 unintentionally.
 "
He hoped nobody in the hotel would recognize him, but an employee
 gave the game away."
 Good walls make good neighbours  This expression means that respecting one another's privacy
 helps create a good relationship between neighbours.
 A dark horse  If you refer to a person as a dark horse, you mean that they
 are secretive, or that little is known about them.
 Keep something under one's hat   To keep something under one's hat means to keep a secret.
 "My boss has promised me a promotion, but it's not official yet,
 so keep it under your hat."
 Keep the lid on something  If you  keep the lid on something, you hide it or control it to prevent
 people from finding out about it.
 "The company tried to keep a lid on the negotiations but word got out
 to the Press."
 Keep a low profile  A person who keeps a low profile tries not to attract public attention.
 "The inventor is a discreet man who keeps a low profile."
 Keep  something under wraps  If something is kept under wraps, it is held secret and not revealed
 to anyone.
 "The plan was kept under wraps until the contract was officially signed."
 Like a thief in the night  Someone who acts like a thief in the night does something
 secretly or in an unexpected manner.
 
"He left the company like a thief in the night, without telling his
 colleagues or saying goodbye."
 Mum's the word  To say "Mum's the word" means that the subject or plan is a secret
 and must not be revealed.
 "We're organizing a surprise event on New Year's Eve so
 "Mum's the word" - OK?"
 Off the record  If you say something off the record, you do not want anyone to
 repeat it publicly.

 "My comment was made off the record, and shouldn't have been
 published"
 Sweep something under the rug.  If you sweep something under the rug (or carpet), you try
 to hide it or ignore it because it is embarrassing.
 On the sly  If you do something on the sly you do it secretly or furtively.
 "He made such quick progress that the others suspected him of
 having private lessons on the sly."
 Spill the beans   If you spill the beans, you reveal a secret or talk about something
 private.
 "Come on!  Spill the beans!  What did he say?"
 Truth will out  This expression means that despite efforts to conceal the facts,
 the truth cannot be hidden forever. 
 "I don't know if the police gave the full details, but inevitably
  'truth will out'."

 


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