[tell] tales (out of|outside) school
1
to share information that is secret or private
The idiom "tell tales out of school" originated from the practice of children sharing information or stories outside the school environment. It refers to the act of revealing or spreading gossip, secrets, or sensitive information that should remain within the confines of a specific group or context. The phrase is used to emphasize the idea of breaching trust or violating a code of confidentiality by divulging details or stories that were meant to be kept private within a particular community, such as a school or close-knit group.
- You mean Fred?The guy who always tells tales outside school?
- I trust you not to tell tales out of school about what happened during our private conversation.
- It's important to maintain confidentiality and not tell tales outside school regarding the company's internal affairs.
- She broke the code of friendship by telling tales out of school about her best friend's personal life.
- Please respect the privacy of our family and don't tell tales out of school about our personal matters.