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Encyclopedia > Pig in a poke

Pig-in-a-poke is an idiom that refers to a confidence trick originating in the Late Middle Ages, when meat was scarce, but apparently rats and cats were not. An idiom is an expression (i. ... Confidence Man redirects here. ... Dante by Michelino The Late Middle Ages is a term used by historians to describe European history in the period of the 14th to 16th centuries (AD 1300–1500). ...


The scheme entailed the sale of a "suckling pig", in a "poke" (bag). The wriggling bag actually contained a cat, not particularly prized as a source of meat, which was then sold unopened to the victim.


A common colloquial expression in the English language, to "buy a pig in a poke" is to make a risky purchase without inspecting an item beforehand. The phrase can also be applied to accepting an idea or plan without a full understanding of its basis. Similar expressions exist in other languages, most of them meaning to buy a cat in a bag, with some exceptions: The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

Language Phrase Translation
(if differs from the English phrase)
Danish at købe katten i sækken
Dutch een kat in de zak kopen
French acheter chat en poche
Finnish ostaa sika säkissä
German die Katze im Sack kaufen to buy a cat in a sack
Greek αγοράζω γουρούνι στο σακί
Hebrew חתול בשק
Hungarian zsákbamacska
Icelandic að kaupa köttinn í sekknum
Latvian pirkt kaķi maisā
Lithuanian nusipirkti katę maiše
Norwegian kjøpe katta i sekken
Polish kupić kota w worku
Portuguese comer gato por lebre to eat cat for hare
Romanian a fi prins cu mâṭa în sac being caught with the cat in the bag
(i.e., caught while cheating or lying)
Russian купить кота в мешке
Spanish dar gato por liebre to give a cat instead of a hare
Slovene kupiti mačka v žaklju
Swedish köpa grisen i säcken

This may also be the origin of the expressions: "Let the cat out of the bag" (although that expression may also refer to the Cat o' nine tails) meaning 'to reveal that which is secret', and "left holding the bag" meaning 'to find oneself with nothing for their efforts', as the cat is quite likely to flee when the bag is opened. “Hebrew” redirects here. ... A leather cat o nine tails This article discusses an implement of punishment. ...


"Pig in a Poke" is a fictional game show in the 1985 comedy film National Lampoon's European Vacation (which was based on Family Feud, but had the families wear pig costumes). National Lampoons European Vacation is a 1985 comedy film, second in the Vacation series, directed by Amy Heckerling and starring Chevy Chase and Beverly DAngelo. ... This article is about the American game show. ...


References

  • Funk, Charles Earle. (2002). A Hog on Ice: & Other Curious Expressions. HarperResource. ISBN 0-06-051329-2


 

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