blow cover

B

blow cover

Meaning

• to reveal the true identity
• to put a damper on someone’s plan to conceal something
• to reveal a secret
• inadvertently give away one’s secret identity.

Example Sentences

1. The custom’s officer recognised the man from a wanted poster and blew his cover right out.
2. She did not intend to blow his cover but then her habit of blabbering did not help.
3. I bought some gold under the pretext of going shopping for clothes but my toddle blew my cover in front of my in-laws.
4. The income tax department as blown the cover off many tax evaders in the last three months.
5. The new government regulation is intended to blow the cover of the people who hoard money.
6. The lawyer blew the criminal’s cover in quite an interesting manner. Luckily I got to witness it all.
7. The multilevel marketing company’s cover was blown when the journalist interviewed its top management.
8. Although he has been a spy for many years, his cover was blown in this operation and hence he got caught.
9. The burglar came to the marriage in a gentleman’s dress and hoped no one would blow his cover.

Origin

The phrase is speculated to originate in troubled times and war zones where a cover being blown could literally result into life and death situations. The popularity of the phrase comes from Hollywood spy movies.