sneak preview

sneak preview idiom
An advance showing of something, as in It was supposed to be bad luck but she gave the bridegroom a sneak preview of her wedding gown. This expression originated in the 1930s for a single public showing of a motion picture before its general release, and in succeeding decades was transferred to other undertakings.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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