A ''pig in a poke'' is a thing that is bought without first being inspected, and thus of unknown authenticity or quality. The
idiom
An idiom is a phrase or expression that largely or exclusively carries a Literal and figurative language, figurative or non-literal meaning (linguistic), meaning, rather than making any literal sense. Categorized as formulaic speech, formulaic ...
is attested in 1555:
A "poke" is a sack, so the image is of a concealed item being sold.
Starting in the 19th century, this idiom was explained as a
confidence trick
A scam, or a confidence trick, is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust. Confidence tricks exploit victims using a combination of the victim's credulity, naivety, compassion, vanity, confidence, irrespons ...
where a farmer would substitute a cat for a suckling pig when bringing it to market. When the buyer discovered the deception, he was said to "let the cat out of the bag", that is, to learn of something unfortunate prematurely, hence the expression "
letting the cat out of the bag", meaning ''to reveal that which is secret''.
The French idiom ''acheter (un) chat en poche'' and the Dutch ''een kat in de zak kopen'' and also the German ''die Katze im Sack kaufen'' (all: to buy a cat in a bag) refer to an actual
scam
A scam, or a confidence trick, is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their Trust (emotion), trust. Confidence tricks exploit victims using a combination of the victim's credulity, naivety, compassion, vanity, confidence ...
of this nature, as do many other European equivalents, while the English expression refers to the appearance of the trick.
[Brewer, ''Dictionary of Phrase and Fable'', 1898.] The English idiom "sold a pup" refers to a similar con. Other variations include "buy a fish in water" (Arabic), "buy a cow on another mountain" (Chinese), "buy in a closed box" (Italian) and "buy a cat instead of a hare" (Iberian languages).
In
common law
Common law (also known as judicial precedent, judge-made law, or case law) is the body of law primarily developed through judicial decisions rather than statutes. Although common law may incorporate certain statutes, it is largely based on prece ...
, buyers have the right to inspect goods before purchase.
Etymology
A ''poke'' is a sack or bag, from French ''poque'', which is also the etymon of "
pocket
A pocket is a bag- or envelope-like receptacle either fastened to or inserted in an article of clothing to hold small items. Pockets are also attached to luggage, backpacks, and similar items. In older usage, a pocket was a separate small bag o ...
", "
pouch", and "
poach".
['']Oxford English Dictionary
The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the principal historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP), a University of Oxford publishing house. The dictionary, which published its first editio ...
'', 3rd Edition, ''s.v.v.'' ''Poke'' is still in regional use. Pigs were formerly brought to market for sale in a cloth bag, a poke.
Use in popular culture
In the April 1929 edition of the literary magazine ''
The London Aphrodite'', a story by
Rhys Davies, titled "A Pig in a Poke", was published, in which a Welsh coal miner takes a woman from London for his wife and regrets it.
In the 1985 film ''
National Lampoon's European Vacation'', the Griswold family wins the vacation on a game show called "Pig in a Poke".
See also
*
Cultural references to pigs
*
Green goods scam
*
Lipstick on a pig
*
Impulse purchase
Notes
References
Bibliography
* E. Cobham Brewer
''Dictionary of Phrase and Fable'' 1898.
*
Funk, Charles Earle, ''A Hog on Ice: & Other Curious Expressions''. HarperResource, 2002. .
{{Scams and confidence tricks
Confidence tricks
English-language idioms
Metaphors referring to pigs