tip one's hand

tip one's hand idiom
Accidentally reveal one's intentions, as in He avoided any comments on birthdays for fear of tipping his hand about the surprise party. This idiom probably alludes to holding one's hand in such a way that others can see the cards one is holding. [Colloquial; early 1900s]

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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