Close to the vest 🤏🦺

Meaning

To keep information secret and private, not revealing one's true intentions or plans.

Origin

In the smoke-filled, dimly lit saloons of 19th-century America, where fortunes were won and lost on the turn of a card, serious poker players knew one cardinal rule: keep your hand hidden. Holding your cards "close to the vest"—a waistcoat often worn over a shirt—was a literal necessity to prevent prying eyes from glimpsing your hand and gaining an unfair advantage. This simple, guarded gesture evolved beyond the card table, becoming a vivid metaphor for anyone who shrewdly keeps their plans, intentions, or true feelings carefully concealed, much like a poker player protecting a winning hand.

Close to the vest represented with emoji🤏🦺

This playful pairing of 🤏 and 🦺 serves as a charming visual riddle, inviting us to ponder the delightful subversion of the notion of sharing. It functions as a lighthearted reminder of those moments when we hold our secrets close, not just to our bodies, but to our very vests, underscoring the whimsical art of keeping things just for ourselves.

Examples

• The CEO played the merger negotiations very close to the vest, surprising everyone with the final announcement.
• She tends to keep her personal life close to the vest, rarely discussing it with colleagues.