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Glite Dictionary
to keep one's cards close to one's chest

to keep one's cards close to one's chest

1 7.6
To not tell people your plans or feelings to get an advantage
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : mantener las cartas cerca del pecho
  • In negotiations, it's wise to keep your cards close to your chest until you're ready to reveal your strategy.

Examples

  • Economist Chris Thornberg calls Brown's "a savvy negotiator" who knows to keep his cards close to his chest on any changes to Prop 13.

    Blog text (14)

  • To ensure a successful deal, she decided to keep her cards close to her chest during the meeting.

  • Ernie, this is not the fucking time to keep your cards close to your chest.

    The Gentlemen (2020)

  • He learned that in business, it's important to keep your cards close to your chest to maintain a competitive advantage.

Synonyms

to conceal
vsto keep one's cards close to one's chest
282 3.7

To hide something so others cannot see or find it

withholds plans secretly to gain advantage by acting cautiously
to keep one's mouth shut
vsto keep one's cards close to one's chest
  • Informal
116 5.6

To say nothing to avoid trouble or keep a secret

implies strategic secrecy to gain advantage rather than mere silence
to keep quiet
vsto keep one's cards close to one's chest
90 2.5

To say nothing or not tell a secret

means strategic secrecy about intentions to gain advantage not only silence
to keep a secret
vsto keep one's cards close to one's chest
76 2.6

To not tell anyone private information

focuses on withholding information for strategic advantage rather than simple privacy
to keep to oneself
vsto keep one's cards close to one's chest
27 5.4

To not tell others your thoughts or feelings

serves to protect plans through tactical silence rather than personal privacy
to shut one's mouth
vsto keep one's cards close to one's chest
  • Informal
4 4.4

To stop talking to keep a secret or when told to be quiet

focuses on cautious withholding of plans for advantage rather than mere obedience
to keep mum
vsto keep one's cards close to one's chest
  • Informal
3 7.5

Stay quiet about something private

implies deliberate withholding of plans to gain advantage rather than simple quiet
to secrete
vsto keep one's cards close to one's chest
1 8.1

Hide something carefully where others cannot find it

withholds plans strategically rather than storing objects out of sight
to keep one's cakehole shut
vsto keep one's cards close to one's chest
  • Offensive
9.9

Not say anything or tell other people

focuses on cautious strategic silence to protect plans rather than crude expression

Antonyms

revealing
38 4.0

Showing information or parts that were hidden before

How Secretive

to keep one's cards close to one's chest
  • Informal
1 7.6
to hold back
108 4.2

Surface Forms

keep one's cards close to one's chest infinitive
kept one's cards close to one's chest past
kept one's cards close to one's chest past participle
keeping one's cards close to one's chest present participle
keeps one's cards close to one's chest third person singular

Morphology

keep + one's + cards + close + to + one's + chest

The literal image of keeping playing cards close to the chest conveys the idea of hiding information, so a learner who knows 'keep', 'cards', 'close' and 'chest' can often infer the metaphorical sense of not revealing plans. However, the meaning relies on a cultural/categorical mapping from a card-playing behaviour to general secrecy and advantage, so it is not fully compositional or immediately predictable for all learners without exposure.

Etymology

Keep one's cards close to one's chest comes from card games, where a player holds their cards tight against their chest so no one else can see them. That's why it means 'to not reveal your plans' or 'to keep information secret'.