up one's sleeve en · ADP
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
From the practice of magicians hiding tricks or gimmicks in the sleeve.
Meanings
-
(idiomatic) Hidden and ready to be produced as needed; in reserve.
"There may be things that you know which I do not. I have not pretended to be aware of all the details of your show. But equally I've got something up my sleeve that you don't know about. And that's where I mean to score. Danvers was a damned clever fellow——" He broke off as if he had said too much.
1922, Agatha Christie, “Chapter 16”, in The Secret Adversary:I have tried everything I can think of, and I don't have anything more up my sleeve.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| up one's sleeves | alternative | lexicographic |
Relateds
roll up one's sleeves · nothing-up-my-sleeve number
Translations (15)
fi hihassa (hidden, in reserve) · pl w rękawie (hidden, in reserve) · ru за па́зухой (hidden, in reserve) · is eiga í pokahorninu (hidden, in reserve) · de im Ärmel (hidden, in reserve) · is lúra á (hidden, in reserve) · is luma á (hidden, in reserve) · pl w zanadrzu (hidden, in reserve) · ru исподтишка́ (hidden, in reserve) · es debajo de la manga (hidden, in reserve) · fr dans sa manche (hidden, in reserve) · cmn 锦囊妙计 (hidden, in reserve) · pt na manga (hidden, in reserve) · it avere un asso nella manica (hidden, in reserve) · is hafa í bakhöndinni (hidden, in reserve)