Between you, me and the bed-post

Definitions

• Share a secret or confidential information
  To confide in someone and share information that is not meant to be known by others

• Emphasize confidentiality
  To stress the importance of keeping something between the speaker and the listener, without involving anyone else

• Exclude others from a conversation or situation
  To suggest that the conversation or situation is only between the speaker and the listener, and that no one else should be involved or privy to it

Examples of Between you, me and the bed-post

• Let me tell you a secret that's just between you, me and the bed-post. Tom has been cheating on Sarah for the past month, and I have the evidence to prove it.

  This idiom is used to emphasize the confidential nature of what is being said. In this example, the speaker wants to make sure that the information she is disclosing will remain a secret between the three parties involved. She is implying that she trusts the listener to keep the secret, just as she trusts herself and her bedpost to do so.

• I need to confess something to you, but please don't repeat it to anyone, not even between you, me and the bed-post. I've been struggling with a serious addiction for the past year, and I'm not sure how to overcome it.

  In this example, the speaker uses the idiom to reinforce the importance of keeping the confidences she is sharing. By explicitly mentioning the bed-post, she is emphasizing the confidentiality of the conversation and implying that the listener understands and respects this level of confidentiality.

• I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make this project a success, between you, me and the bed-post, as long as we both come out on top.

  In this example, the idiom is used to indicate a private agreement between two people that is not meant to be shared with anyone else. By adding the bed-post to the idiom, the speaker is emphasizing the level of secrecy involved in the agreement. She is also implying that she trusts the listener to honor this private agreement.

• Between you, me and the bed-post, I'm starting to think that my boss hates me. I can't explain it, but something just feels off.

  By using the idiom in this way, the speaker is indicating that this is a private thought or suspicion that she is sharing with the listener. She is implying that she has evidence that supports her suspicion, but she is not sure what to do about it. By using the idiom, she is emphasizing the importance of keeping this thought private and confidential.

• Your secret is safe with me, between you, me and the bed-post!

  This is a way to assure someone that you will not reveal their secret to anyone else, not even yourself after falling asleep in bed.

• Between you, me and the bed-post, I could really use a raise!

  This is a way to express a desire for something, in this case a raise, without openly asking for it. By implying that even a piece of furniture knows your need, it may guilt or persuade the recipient to grant your desire.

• Between you, me and the bed-post, I absolutely loathe that person!

  This is a way to express very strong dislike towards someone, even exaggerating it to ridiculous lengths, like hating them more than your bedpost.

• Between you, me and the bed-post, I really have to pee!

  This is an exaggerated way to say that you really need to urinate. Because the sound of bedpost might prompt you to think about the act of sleeping, it might make this sentence a bit funny or interesting. It is a humorous way to express a dire personal need.

Conclusion

The idiom "between you, me and the bed-post" is often used to convey a sense of secrecy or confidentiality. It is typically used when sharing personal information or discussing a sensitive topic that should not be known by others. By using this idiom, the speaker is emphasizing the importance of keeping the information between the two parties involved.

An additional use of this idiom is to exclude others from a conversation or situation. By saying "between you, me and the bed-post," the speaker is indicating that the conversation is private and should not involve anyone else.

Origin of "Between you, me and the bed-post"

The origin of this idiom is unclear, but it is believed to have originated in the late 19th century in England. The use of "bed-post" in the idiom may refer to the traditional practice of whispering secrets to a bedpost, as if it were a trusted confidant. It may also be a playful reference to the idea of sharing secrets in bed, as it is a place of intimacy and trust.

Another theory suggests that the use of "bed-post" in the idiom may have originated from the phrase "between the sheets," which is used to refer to intimate conversations or actions. Over time, this phrase may have evolved to include "bed-post" as a way to add emphasis or make the conversation more secretive.

Regardless of its exact origin, the idiom "between you, me and the bed-post" has become a popular phrase used to convey confidentiality and exclusivity in conversations.