Let slip 🗣️✋

Meaning

To reveal a secret or information unintentionally.

Origin

Picture medieval scribes, hunched over precious manuscripts, painstakingly copying texts. A single misplaced comma, a fumbled quill, a moment of distraction – and suddenly, an error has 'slipped' from their careful watch. This isn't just about making a mistake; it's about losing control, allowing something to escape that should have been held tightly. Think of a guard dozing off at their post, inadvertently letting an enemy 'slip' through the gates. The phrase captures that instant of lost vigilance, where a secret or a piece of vital information escapes into the world, often with unintended consequences.

🔒 secrets 🗣️ communication 😮 surprise ⚖️✅ honesty

Let slip represented with emoji🗣️✋

This playful piece functions as a delightful puzzle, inviting us to ponder the subtle art of unintentional revelation. 🗣️✋ teaches the viewer not just the meaning of a phrase, but how a simple combination of icons can evoke the feeling of a secret softly escaping, a moment of unguarded truth revealed in the digital ether.

Examples

  • He let slip that he was planning a surprise party for her.
  • During the interview, the politician accidentally let slip some sensitive information.
  • The little elf couldn't help but let slip the location of the hidden gingerbread cookies.
  • My pet dragon, in a fit of giggles, let slip where he'd buried the knight's shiny helmet.

Frequently asked questions

Is 'let slip' considered a proverb or an idiom?

'Let slip' is classified as an idiom. Idioms are phrases where the words together have a figurative meaning that is different from the literal dictionary meanings of the individual words.

What is the opposite of the phrase 'let slip'?

The opposite of 'let slip' could be 'keep secret' or 'conceal'. These phrases imply intentionally withholding information rather than accidentally revealing it.

Can 'let slip' be used for something other than secrets?

Yes, 'let slip' can also refer to unintentionally saying something awkward or inappropriate, even if it's not a secret. It captures any instance of unplanned or uncontrolled speech.

Is there a famous historical event associated with the origin of 'let slip'?

While the exact coining is not tied to a single event, the imagery of something precious or important escaping control, like errors in manuscripts or a guard failing to hold a gate, informs its early understanding.

Similar to "let slip"

Spill the beans
Both phrases mean to accidentally reveal a secret, but 'spill the beans' feels more like a sudden, messy outburst, often implying a more significant or juicy revelation than a simple oversight
Let the cat out of the bag
This phrase shares the idea of unintended disclosure, but it conjures a more deliberate, albeit accidental, unveiling of something that was meant to be kept hidden, like a surprise party
Let it slip through the cracks
While 'let slip' focuses on verbal unintentional disclosure, 'let it slip through the cracks' suggests something important was overlooked or failed to be handled, leading to a loss of control or information

Opposite of "let slip"

Keep a tight lip
This argues instead for the deliberate and active suppression of information, making the contrast with 'let slip' interesting because it highlights the value of discretion and control versus the misfortune of carelessness
Guard your tongue
This champions mindful awareness and the strategic use of silence, pushing back against the idea that unintentional revelations are merely unfortunate accidents, suggesting instead that they stem from a lack of self-mastery

Related to "let slip"

Tip off
'Tip off' orbits 'let slip' as a phrase about passing on information, differing subtly in that it often implies a deliberate, though perhaps discreet, act to inform someone, rather than an accidental utterance
Give the game away
This shares the core of revealing something, but specifically focuses on exposing a secret plan or deception, making it a more strategic failure than a general unintentional disclosure
A slip of the tongue
This is the source idiom, pointing directly to the verbal nature of the mistake that 'let slip' describes while focusing on the specific moment of error
Confide in
While 'let slip' is about unintentional exposure, 'confide in' represents the intentional act of sharing a secret with a trusted individual, making them thematic neighbours through the shared landscape of secret-keeping and revelation