hole-and-corner

Also found in: Idioms.

hole-and-cor·ner

(hōl′ən-kôr′nər)
adj.
Being in a secret place; conducted secretly.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

hole-and-corner

adj
(usually prenominal) informal furtive or secretive
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

hole′-and-cor′ner

or hole′-in-cor′ner,



adj.
secretive; furtive.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Adj.1.hole-and-corner - relating to the peripheral and unimportant aspects of life; "a hole-and-corner life in some obscure community"- H.G.Wells
unimportant, insignificant - devoid of importance, meaning, or force
2.hole-and-corner - conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methodshole-and-corner - conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods; "clandestine intelligence operations"; "cloak-and-dagger activities behind enemy lines"; "hole-and-corner intrigue"; "secret missions"; "a secret agent"; "secret sales of arms"; "surreptitious mobilization of troops"; "an undercover investigation"; "underground resistance"
covert - secret or hidden; not openly practiced or engaged in or shown or avowed; "covert actions by the CIA"; "covert funding for the rebels"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

hole-and-corner

adjective (Informal) furtive, secret, secretive, clandestine, sneaky (informal), underhand, surreptitious, stealthy, under the counter (informal), backstairs I think we were treated in a rather hole-and-corner fashion.
open, public, frank, candid, above-board
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations

hole-and-corner

[ˈhəʊlənˈkɔːnəʳ] ADJfurtivo
to do sth in a hole-and-corner wayhacer algo de tapadillo
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

hole-and-corner

[ˌhəʊləndˈkɔːnəʳ] adj (fam) → furtivo/a
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
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