语言小点心:Keep It Under Your Hat

1. If you say keep it under your hat, you want someone to

a) cover up their hair

b) put something in their pocket

c) keep something secret

2) What does Nina want you to keep secret?

Today on Language Snacks we take a look at the expression keep it under your hat. Let’s listen to the dialogue.

A: Did you hear about John? He's leaving the company to go travelling!

B: Really? I didn't know anything about that!

A: Well, it's supposed to be a secret, so keep it under your hat until he tells everyone.

B: Oh okay, I promise I won't tell anyone else.

If you want someone to keep some information secret and not tell anyone else, you can say keep it under your hat. The idea is that something is concealed¹ or hidden there. The phrase² probably started in the times when most people wore hats every day. Although it seems very strange today, people sometimes used to put small personal objects under their hats, using the space like an extra pocket!

Right, I have to go out and buy my mum's birthday present now, but keep it under your hat!

Answers
1. c

2. mum's birthday present

1 concealed   

a.隐藏的，隐蔽的

参考例句：

• The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
• I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

2 phrase   

n.短语，词组；成语，习语

参考例句：

• The phrase was caught on and immediately became popular.这个短语被采用后很快就流行了。
• That's exactly the phrase I was looking for.这就是我一直找的那个短语。