Open secret

The phrase open secret refers to information that was originally intended to be confidential but has at some point been disclosed and is known to many people.^[1] Open secrets are secrets in the sense that they are excluded from formal or official discourse, but they are open in the sense that they are familiar and referred to in idioms and language games, though these often require explanation for outsiders.^[2]

^ Barnden, John; Gargett, Andrew, eds. (2020). Producing Figurative Expression (1 ed.). Amsterdam / Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company. p. 486. ISBN 978-90-272-0803-3.
^ Henig, David; Makovicky, Nicolette, eds. (19 January 2017). Economies of Favour after Socialism. Oxford University Press. p. 58. doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199687411.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-968741-1.

[1] Barnden, John; Gargett, Andrew, eds. (2020). Producing Figurative Expression (1 ed.). Amsterdam / Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company. p. 486. ISBN 978-90-272-0803-3.

[2] Henig, David; Makovicky, Nicolette, eds. (19 January 2017). Economies of Favour after Socialism. Oxford University Press. p. 58. doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199687411.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-968741-1.

[1]

[2]