up one's sleeve
Appearance
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]From the practice of magicians hiding tricks or gimmicks in the sleeve.
Pronunciation
[edit]Audio (General Australian): (file)
Prepositional phrase
[edit]- (idiomatic) Hidden and ready to be produced as needed; in reserve.
- I have tried everything I can think of, and I don't have anything more up my sleeve.
- 1922, Agatha Christie, “Chapter 16”, in The Secret Adversary:
- "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.
Usage notes
[edit]- In this sense, the phrase most commonly occurs after a nominal such as ace, trick, surprise, something, more, nothing, anything.