-
350
CAT- origin
Byzantine Greek katta (c.350) and was in general use on the continent by c.700, replacing Latin feles. -
400
CAT- origin
West Germanic (c.400-450) -
Jan 1, 700
CAT- origin
Old English catt (c.700), -
Jan 1, 1200
BAG- origin
c.1200, bagge, from Old Norse baggi or a similar Scandinavian source -
Jan 1, 1350
The Spanish origin
“Dar gato por liebre” more or less means “to give a cat for a hare.” This was a common phrase used in the 14th and 15th century. -
Jan 1, 1530
Another speculated first use of similar phrase
This use of the phrase “when ye proffer the pigge open the poke." is thought to be the first use a the phrase which was then changed to refer to cats. According to the site, pigs were bagged for sale, in Richard Hill's Common-place Book from 1530 offers some advice to merchants. -
CAT- origin
Extended to lions, tigers, etc. c.1600 -
Other supposed first use of phrase
Apparently, there is speculation that the phrase was used in a 1695 play called Love for Love by William Congreve as a nautical term that referenced to a lashing at sea. -
BAG- origin
To be left holding the bag (and presumably nothing else), "cheated, swindled" is attested by 1793 -
Another possible origin for the phrase
Britain’s infamous Royal Navy. Sailors would often get in trouble with their superiors. In order to keep these salty seamen in line, the Royal Navy would employ the help of a cat o’ nine tails, a whip with nine knotted cotton cords that could inflict pretty serious damage onto one’s back. The “cat,” or sometimes referred to by it’s other nickname “the captain’s daughter,” was often kept in a red cloth bag, as a symbolic gesture, as well as keeping it from drying out due to the sea air. -
BAG- origin
Meaning "person's area of interest or expertise" is 1964 -
The first use of the phrase
This was used for the first time comes in a book review in 1760 in an issue of The London Magazine, where the reviewer laments that, "We could have wished that the author had not let the cat out of the bag." -
CAT- origin
Europe as Latin catta (Martial, c.75 C.E.) -
Modern day: what it means now
Today, the phrase means not to tell or say something before it is the proper time to do so. For example, if a friend is throwing a surprise party for another friend and they tell you in confidence, then they might say, "don't let the cat out of the bag" as a way of saying, please don't tell that person before it is the proper time to tell them".