Keep it under your hat

Definitions

• keep something secret
  To advise someone to keep information or a secret to themselves and not share it with others

• be discreet
  To caution someone to be discreet and not reveal something that may cause trouble or inconvenience

Examples of Keep it under your hat

• Tom asked me to keep our company's new product secret until its official launch. He said, "Keep it under your hat."

  This idiom means to keep something confidential or secret, and not to reveal it to others. In this example, Tom is asking the speaker to keep the information about the new product a secret until the company is ready to announce it to the public. The phrase "under your hat" is used to emphasize the secrecy and confidentiality of the information.

• Jane's boyfriend surprised her with a romantic proposal, but she begged him to keep it a secret until she could tell her friends and family. She said, "Please, keep it under your hat for a few days."

  In this example, Jane is asking her boyfriend to keep their engagement a secret until she's ready to share the news with others. The phrase "under your hat" adds an element of secrecy and emphasizes that the information should not be revealed to others unless the speaker gives permission.

• John overheard his boss discussing a major company restructuring, but he promised to keep it a secret and not share it with his colleagues. He said to himself, "I'll keep it under my hat until I'm sure it's official."

  This idiom can also be used to emphasize the temporary nature of a secret. In this example, John is promising to keep the information about the company restructuring a secret until it's officially announced. The phrase "under my hat" is used to highlight that the secret is something he's carrying with him, and he's reluctant to share it with others until he knows it's safe to do so.

• The police arrested a suspect in connection with a major crime, but they couldn't reveal his identity until they were sure he was involved. The detective in charge instructed his team, "Keeping it under our hats for now."

  In this example, the detective is using the idiom to indicate that they're keeping something confidential until they're ready to make an announcement. The phrase "under our hats" is used to emphasize that this is something they're keeping close to the chest, and they're being careful not to reveal it to others until they're ready to do so.

• The company's plans for a new product launch have been kept under your hat until the official announcement next week.

  This idiom is used when referring to keeping a secret or confidential information hidden from others until it is ready to be revealed. In this example, we are instructing someone to keep the company's product launch plans secret until the official announcement is made next week.

• My cousin has shared some shocking news about our family's inheritance, but I've been asked to keep it under your hat until everyone has been informed.

  In this example, we are again instructing someone to keep a secret, this time about the surprise news regarding our family's inheritance. We are asking them to keep it hidden and not share it with anyone else until everyone has been informed.

• During the merger talks, the financial details of the deal have been kept under your hat to prevent any potential leaks to the media.

  In this example, we are using the idiom to explain that the financial details of the merger talks are being kept confidential to prevent any potential leaks to the media. By keeping the information hidden, the companies involved in the merger can avoid any unwanted media attention and negative publicity.

• My friend revealed to me that she is planning a surprise party for her husband's birthday, but asked me to keep it under your hat until we can all gather and celebrate together.

  In this example, we are again using the idiom to explain that our friend is keeping a secret about her husband's surprise party. By keeping it hidden, she can avoid any potential spoilers and ensure that the surprise remains a secret until the party.Form 1: Subject + Keep + Object + Under + Your HatForm 2: Object + Keep + Subject + Under + Your HatForm 3: Subject + Object + Keep + Under + Your HatRemember, unlike regular sentences, the subject and object in idiom examples do not necessarily follow the standard format of subject + verb + object. Instead, we can switch the order of subject and object to fit the meaning and flow of the sentence.

Conclusion

The idiom "keep it under your hat" is often used to advise someone to keep information or a secret to themselves and not share it with others. It can also be used to caution someone to be discreet and not reveal something that may cause trouble or inconvenience. In both cases, the intention is to keep something private and not let it be known to others.

Origin of "Keep it under your hat"

The origin of the idiom "keep it under your hat" is not entirely clear, but it is believed to have originated in the early 20th century. The phrase "keep it under your hat" likely comes from the idea of hiding something under a hat, which was a common practice in the past. People would often use their hats to conceal items or keep them out of sight. Over time, the phrase evolved to mean keeping something secret or being discreet about it. The idiom has since become a widely used expression in English to advise someone to keep information to themselves. For example, if someone tells you a secret and you want to ensure that they do not tell anyone else, you might say, "Keep it under your hat."