English · Idiom Historical

to empty the bag

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

To tell the whole matter and conceal nothing (Fr. vider le sac, to expose all to view).

Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)

Sources & notes

Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.

Topics: Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “to empty the bag” mean?

To tell the whole matter and conceal nothing (Fr. vider le sac, to expose all to view).

Is “to empty the bag” formal or informal?

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

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