Idiom
Under wraps
If something is kept under wraps, it is kept secret and hidden from the public for a time.
How people use it
It usually follows keep or be: the company kept its new phone under wraps until launch day. It often refers to plans, products, surprises or news that will be revealed later, so it suggests a temporary secret. It is neutral and common in business and entertainment news. You can also take the wraps off something, meaning to reveal it.
Also said: keep under wraps.
Examples
- The team kept the new coach's name under wraps until the press conference.
- Maya's surprise party stayed under wraps until she walked through the door.
- The band is keeping its new album under wraps for now.
Where it comes from
It probably comes from the plain idea of covering something with a cloth or wrapping so it can't be seen, as with a new car or statue before an unveiling. Horse racing also used "under wraps" for a horse held back by its rider so its true speed stayed hidden. The general sense of being kept secret was common by the mid-1900s.
Check yourself
1. What does it mean to keep a plan under wraps?
Answer: To keep it secret. Under wraps means hidden from others for now.
2. Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Answer: The museum kept the new exhibit under wraps until opening night.. The idiom means keeping something secret, so posting it everywhere contradicts it.
Similar idioms
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