English idiom

have up one's sleeve

Register · Informal CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

to have a secret plan or advantage kept ready for later use

Why this phrase?

From card cheats hiding cards in a sleeve; figuratively means a hidden plan.

Example

“The coach still had a few tricks up his sleeve.”

Dictionary details

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

let the cat out of the bag

To reveal a secret, usually by mistake.

pull someone's leg

To tease or joke with someone by telling them something untrue in fun.

save for a rainy day

to put money aside for future emergencies

spill the beans

To reveal a secret, often accidentally.

behind the scenes

happening privately or secretly, not in public view

come clean

to confess the truth about something previously hidden or denied

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

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