dead giveaway
Unmistakable revealing clue
A dead giveaway is something that unmistakably reveals a hidden truth—a clue so obvious it leaves no doubt: His nervous laughter was a dead giveaway that he was lying.
Dead here intensifies giveaway, meaning something that gives away a secret unintentionally.
- clueSolving aid
- obviousEasily perceived, unmistakable
- smoking gunIrrefutable proof of wrongdoing
- red flagIndicator of danger
- tip-offAdvance secret warning
telltale sign · caught red-handed · red-handed · tell · body language · leak · revealing · slip of the tongue · writing on the wall · blunder · undeniable · conclusive · slip-up · sign · proof · unmistakable · backtracking · lipstick
- hintshint, clue, tip, nudge, cue
- death idiomskick the bucket, six feet under, kiss of death, death wish, death trap
obviousness of evidence
dead giveawaysubtle hint
Indirect, understated indication
cryptic clue · trace · indirect evidence · circumstantial evidence
given, giver, gives, dead end, deadpan, deadlock, dead, giveaway, deadweight