Give the game away
Meaning
To inadvertently reveal a secret, a plan, or a surprise, often spoiling it for others.
Origin
Imagine a tense 19th-century drawing-room, alive with the hushed clatter of cards or the strategic click of chess pieces. In such a scene, victory hinged on a player's ability to conceal their intentions, to keep their strategy a closely guarded secret. To 'give the game away' was a cardinal sin, an unwitting blunder where a subtle glance at one's cards, a nervous fidget, or an ill-timed remark would betray a winning hand or an imminent tactical move. This accidental revelation, costing a player their advantage and often the match itself, lent the phrase its potent meaning, carrying the thrill and disappointment of the gaming table into the everyday lexicon as a warning against revealing crucial secrets.
Examples
- He almost gave the game away about the surprise party when he asked if I'd already bought a cake.
- The nervous twitch of the spy's eye nearly gave the game away to his interrogators.