English · Idiom Candidate

let something slip

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Meaning · English

Accidentally reveal a secret or piece of information

Literally: allow something to escape

Where it’s used: Used Widespread English

Examples

She let the surprise party plans slip to her brother

AI-drafted example auto-approved by rule (illustrative, not a corpus attestation)

Sources & notes

Listed in Wiktionary’s “English idioms” category (retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review. Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-07-31; pending editor spot-check.

Equivalents & related

Near equivalent như nước đổ đầu vịt like water off a duck's back. Tiếng Việt Near equivalent như nước đổ lá khoai like water off a duck's back. Tiếng Việt Near equivalent like water off a duck's back Having no effect or making no impression English · via như nước đổ đầu vịt

Lighter cards are two steps away in the meaning graph — equivalents of equivalents, reached via the entry shown on the card.

Common questions

What does “let something slip” mean?

Accidentally reveal a secret or piece of information Literally: allow something to escape

Is “let something slip” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

What is the closest equivalent?

“như nước đổ đầu vịt” (Tiếng Việt) — near equivalent.