📢 Tell Tales Out of School, To 🤭
💬 To reveal secrets; to talk out of turn.
The earliest appearance of this expression in print occurred in William Tindale’s The Practyse of Prelates (1530): “What cometh once in may never out, for fear of telling tales out of school.” Presumably, it first applied to children gossiping about what they heard at school. However, it soon was used figuratively to mean spilling any kind of confidential information. It is now on the verge of obsolescence. Nevertheless, just plain to tell tales, meaning to lie, survives.
🧩 Related and Similar Terms:
- Spill the beans 🫘: To divulge a secret.
- Let the cat out of the bag 🐱: To reveal something that was intended to be kept confidential.
- Blabbermouth 👄: Someone who talks too much and can’t keep secrets.
- Loose lips sink ships 🚢: Careless talk can have serious consequences.
📚 Engaging Titles:
- “Whisper a Word: The Art of Secret-Keeping (and Failing)”
- “Sssh! Secret-Spilling Shenanigans and Other Tales Told Out of School”
- “Confidential Chronicles and Forbidden Folklore”
- “The Gossip Gazette: A Fun-Filled Exploration of Secrets”
🤣 Humor-Filled Quotes:
- “Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.” – Benjamin Franklin (Now that’s trust issues!)
- “Gossip is the Devil’s radio.” – George Harrison (Turn the volume down, please!)
🔎 Thought-Provoking Proverbs:
- “A secret between two is God’s secret, a secret between three is all men’s.” - Catalan Proverb
- “He who sows thorns should not go barefoot.” - Italian Proverb (It’s pretty much preventive maintenance for relationships!)
📖 Literature, Books, and Movies:
- Book: “Scandalous Secrets” by Sarah Vaughn – It’s juicy, riveting, and oh-so-telling!
- Song: “Gossip Folks” by Missy Elliott – Get your groove on with some rhythm and revelations.
- Movie: Liar, Liar – Jim Carrey’s character epitomizes telling tales, but certainly not out of school!
💭 Intriguing Farewell Thought:
Remember, secrets are like stars; they may be hidden, but they can always come to light in the dark. 🌟
Happy decrypting those covert conversations and swirling secrets! Never forget: it’s great so long as you don’t let the entire playground know! Farewell, hush puppies! 🙊 💌
