The phrase “kiss and tell” originated in the 18th century and refers to sharing personal information about someone with whom you have a close relationship. Its meaning has evolved over time, from referring to loud kissing to revealing the impropriety of a young unmarried woman, to its modern interpretation of leaking damaging information about high-profile individuals to the media. Journalists often pay insiders for such stories.
“Kiss and tell” is an English phrase that was first used in the 18th century and came into common use in the late 1818s. In short, “kiss and tell” refers to sharing personal or otherwise purported private information about a friend, colleague, spouse, lover, or other person with whom you have a close relationship. Generally viewed in a negative light, those who are said to kiss and say do so in violation of another person’s trust.
One of the earliest known uses of the phrase “kiss and tell” appears in an 18th-century play by Gabriel Odinselle. During a scene in The Capricious Lovers written in 18, the characters Graciana and Mrs. Mince-mode argue about disdain for loud kissing. The use of the phrase “kiss and tell” in this scene refers to loud kissing that attracts attention, thus letting others know the relationship of those kissing.
19th-century publications and literature saw little use of the phrase “kiss and tell.” While limited in terms of examples, the existing examples involve a different understanding and meaning applied to the phrase by society at large. The usage and implied interpretation in the mid to late 19th century seems to mark the beginning of the modern understanding of the phrase. Kissing and telling in 1800th century society often meant kissing a young unmarried woman and then telling others about the impropriety of the girl’s actions.
Modern usage of the phrase has similar interpretations but with a much wider range of interpretations. Contextual clues typically frame the intended meaning. For example, kissing and telling might mean sharing a lover’s intimate secrets, telling embarrassing stories about friends, or leaking damaging information about an employer to the media.
The media have, in fact, become the core of the modern understanding of the phrase. Under this interpretation, the phrase has been applied to the habit of paying insiders for scandalous stories about celebrities, politicians, and other high-profile individuals. Journalists often look for individuals who hold key positions in companies or organizations or who are in the inner circles of prominent public figures. Such reporters sometimes pay for stories or photographs that reveal certain private information.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
