the genie is out of the bottle en · X
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
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(idiomatic) Information has been released that will have ongoing consequences.
This early flawed statement was rapidly updated with entirely accurate information, but it was too late - the genie was out of the bottle.
2021 November 17, Nigel Harris, “Comment: Salisbury: a media own goal”, in RAIL, number 944, page 3:It's been widely rumored the network was planning to cancel the show, but now the genie is out of the bottle and fans are furious.
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(idiomatic) Something has been brought into reality that cannot be eliminated or undone.
“The foundations of the concerns about digital platforms were developing during the Obama years […]” said Chris Lewis, the president of the consumer advocacy group Public Knowledge. “The genie is out of the bottle and the issues the public needs resolved are piling up without resolution.”
2020 November 10, Cecilia Kang, David McCabe, Jack Nicas, “Biden Is Expected to Keep Scrutiny of Tech Front and Center”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 07 Jan 2021:I don't think there's any hope of repealing this city's silly parking bylaw. The genie is out of the bottle, sadly.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| the genie's out of the bottle | alternative | lexicographic |
Relateds
can of worms · Pandora's box · put the genie back in the bottle · kettle of fish
Synonyms
the cat is out of the bag · what's done is done
Translations (3)
pl co było, to było (information has been released that will have ongoing consequences) · pl co się stało, to się nie odstanie (information has been released that will have ongoing consequences) · nl de geest is uit de fles (information has been released that will have ongoing consequences)