keep one's cards close to one's chest
Meaning: To keep one's plans or intentions secret.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “The coach is keeping his cards close to his chest about who will start on Saturday.”
Category: Daily Life
Origin: From card games such as poker, where a player holds the hand close so no one can see it. The American form is "close to the vest"; the "chest" version is more common in Britain. The first recorded use has not been firmly dated.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: avancer masqué — literally: to advance masked
More idioms — Daily Life
- be all the rage — To be extremely fashionable or popular for a time.
- avoid like the plague — To stay as far away as possible from someone or something.
- lay it on thick — To exaggerate, especially praise or flattery, far too much.
- stake one's life on it — To be absolutely certain that something is true.
- chase skirts — To pursue women constantly and flirtatiously.
- not know which way to turn — To be so overwhelmed or confused that one does not know what to do.
More English idioms
- not sleep a wink — To not sleep at all.
- work oneself into a lather — To become very agitated, anxious or angry.
- welcome with open arms — To greet or accept someone with great warmth and enthusiasm.
- count on the fingers of one hand — To be very few in number, five or fewer.
- give someone an earful — To scold someone at length, or tell them angrily what one thinks.
- one's eyes pop out of one's head — To be astonished, often at something striking or desirable.
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