Let the cat out of the bag

Let the cat out of the bag

Phrases and Terms

Naval slang for "letting the cat out of the bag" meant the secert is out". "Room to swing a cat" meant the space required for any particular job. The knotted cat of nine tails was kept in a red blaize bag until the offender was securely tied to a grating and there was no hope of a reprieve. A test was done with an exact replica of a cat of nine tails, swung by a 150 pound man, of average build on various pieces of knot free pine. A three quarter inch by three quarter inch piece broken into 3 bits on the first blow. A 1 inch by 1 inch on the second blow.