| 释义 |
‖ secret de Polichinelle|səkrɛ də pɔliʃinɛl|
[Fr., secret of Polichinelle: see Punchinello and secret n. 3 c.]
A supposed secret which is generally known; an open secret.
1857Sat. Rev. 14 Nov. 435/1 The accredited phrase in certain circles about the Court of Spain is, that there is a mystery about it; but the mystery is like the secret de Polichinelle. 1908G. K. Chesterton All Things Considered 117 There is a..class of things which humanity does agree to hide... But..though they are, in one sense, a secret, they are also always a ‘sécret [sic] de Polichinelle’. 1952A. Christie Mrs McGinty's Dead xxiv. 171 A secret de Polichinelle is a secret that everyone can know. 1979A. Buchan Scrap Screen vii. 103 It was a secret de Polichinelle in the Grosvenor family that the boy..was not the Dean's. |