keep something under your hat
/ˌkiːp ˌsʌmθɪŋ ˌʌndə jə ˈhæt/INFORMAL · C1
Meaning
to not tell anyone else about something
Examples
- 1I'm pregnant, but please keep it under your hat until we've told our parents.
- 2My sister asked me to keep it under my hat that she's moving to Canada.
- 3The shop is closing next month, but keep it under your hat until the staff meeting.
- 4Maria kept it under her hat that she'd been offered the job in Paris.
- 5Can you keep this under your hat? The wedding date isn't official yet.
Grammar
Only keep changes: keeps, keeping, kept. something is a short object such as it or this; your changes to match the person.
More idioms about honesty and secrets
All 20 idioms and the topic quiz →a skeleton in the cupboardan embarrassing fact from someone's past that they hidebehind closed doorsin private, where the public cannot see or hearmy lips are sealedsaid when you promise not to tell anyonea wolf in sheep's clothingsomeone who seems friendly but is really dangerouswalls have earsused to warn that someone may be listeninggive the game awayto spoil a surprise by revealing what should stay hidden
English Idioms400 idioms in 20 topics — with reviews that keep them from fading
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