the genie is out of the bottle
Information has been released that will have ongoing consequences.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The secret is out and the genie is out of the bottle.”
“Once the company leaked the confidential merger plans to the press, the genie was out of the bottle.”
“By publishing the classified documents, the whistleblower ensured that the genie was out of the bottle, regardless of the legal consequences that followed.”
- 01
bottle away
To store up or stock up.
- 02
bottle up
To keep suppressed and hidden.
- 03
hit the bottle
To drink alcohol steadily and in excess, particularly in response to a setback.
- 04
lightning in a bottle
That which one seeks in attempting a difficult or challenging feat.
- 05
lose one's bottle
To lose courage and determination.
- 06
new wine in an old bottle
A significant change introduced to an entrenched system or method.
- 07
old wine in a new bottle
An existing concept or institution offered as though it were a new one.
- 08
pass the bottle of smoke
To acquiesce in some falsehood; to make pretence.
Last updated August 10, 2026