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单词 secrecy
释义

secrecy


se·cre·cy

S0205800 (sē′krĭ-sē)n. pl. se·cre·cies 1. The quality or condition of being secret or hidden; concealment: work done in secrecy.2. The practice or habit of keeping secrets: swore him to secrecy.
[Alteration of Middle English secretee, from secret, secret; see secret.]

secrecy

(ˈsiːkrɪsɪ) n, pl -cies1. the state or quality of being secret2. the state of keeping something secret3. the ability or tendency to keep things secret

se•cre•cy

(ˈsi krə si)

n., pl. -cies. 1. the state or condition of being secret or concealed. 2. privacy; retirement; seclusion. 3. ability to keep a secret. 4. the habit or characteristic of being secretive; reticence. [1570-80; alter., by substitution of -cy, of earlier, late Middle English secret(e)e= Middle English secre (< Old French secre, variant of secret secret) + -tee -ty2]

Secrecy

 
  1. About as loose-lipped as a Swiss banker —Harold Adams
  2. Another person’s secret is like another person’s money: you are not so careful with it as you are with your own —Edgar Watson Howe
  3. As secret as the grave —Miguel de Cervantes
  4. Close up like a cabbage —John Andrew Holmes
  5. Close up like a fist —Anon
  6. Covert as a brass band —George F. Will
  7. Fondles his secrets like a case of tools —Karl Shapiro
  8. Furtive as a chipmunk —R. V. Cassill
  9. Hide … like a disgrace —George Gissing
  10. In the mind and nature of a man a secret is an ugly thing, like a hidden physical defect —Isak Dinesen
  11. Lurking like a pilot fish among sharks —Speer Morgan
  12. Move … like a rodent, furtively —John Phillips
  13. Peered out (into the corridor) as stealthily as a mouse leaving its subterranean hole —Donald Seaman
  14. (My face is an open secret but in my letters I) perform like a true diplomat, cunning and sly —Delmore Schwartz

    See Also: CLEVERNESS

  15. Private and tight as a bank vault —Marge Piercy
  16. Secrecy as tight as a bull’s ass in fly time —Stephen Longstreet
  17. Secret as silence —Babette Deutsch
  18. A secret at home is like rocks under tide —D. M. Mulock
  19. Secret operations [by a government] are like sin; unless you’re good at sinning, you shouldn’t do it —George Kennan, CBS/TV, March 31, 1987
  20. Secrets are like measles: they take easy and spread easy —Bartlett’s Dictionary of Americanisms

    Now that measles is controlled by vaccine, a virus or the common cold would probably be a more appropriate point of reference.

  21. She has a mouth like a padlock —Graham Greene
  22. Sneak away [for an acceptable, honorable activity] … as furtively as if he were stealing to a lover’s tryst —Edith Wharton
  23. Stealthy and slow as a hidden sin —Stephen Vincent Benet See Also: SLOWNESS

Secrecy

 

button one’s lip To keep quiet or silent; to keep a secret; also button up and button up one’s face or lip. The expression has been in use since 1868.

hugger-mugger Covert or clandestine behavior, secrecy, furtiveness; confusion or disarray. This expression, possibly derived from the Middle English mokeren ‘to conceal,’ appeared in Shakespeare’s Hamlet regarding the manner of Polonius’ burial:

And we have done but greenly In hugger mugger to inter him. (IV,v)

Although the expression maintains its furtive connotation, hugger-mugger now more frequently carries the meaning of jumbled confusion or disorganization, a meaning it assumed because clandestine activity is often hurried and haphazard.

You find matters … so clumsily set out, that you fare in the style called hugger-mugger. (William Jerdan, Autobiography, 1853)

in petto Undisclosed, kept secret; private, in one’s own thoughts or contemplation. This expression is Italian for ‘in the breast.’ Citations dating from the 17th century indicate that in petto is applied almost exclusively to affairs of church or state.

There are seven cardinals still remaining in petto, whose names the Pope keeps secret. (London Gazette, 1712)

little pitchers have big ears An exhortation or reminder to guard one’s tongue because children may overhear words not intended for their ears. The handle of a pitcher is sometimes called its “ear.” Thus, pitchers have ears is a pun on ears, and is analogous in meaning to walls have ears. This expression appeared in print by the mid-1500s; the later addition of little limits the kind of listeners to children.

Surely Miss Gray, knowing that little pitchers have ears, would have corrected the mistake. (Sarah Tytler, Buried Diamonds, 1886)

mum’s the word Remain silent; do not breathe a word of what was just said. Shakespeare conveyed this meaning in Henry VI, Part II:

Seal up your lips, and give no word but—mum. (I, ii)

This expression may have derived from the m-m sound, which can be produced only with closed lips. The phrase is particularly commonplace in Great Britain.

As to Cornwall, … between you and me, Mrs. Harper, mum’s the word. (Dinah Mulock, Agatha’s Husband, 1852)

on the q.t. Secretly, surreptitiously, covertly, clandestinely, on the sly. Q.t. is simply an abbreviation of the word quiet in the original expression on the quiet.

It will be possible to have one spree on the strict q.t. (George Moore, A Mummer’s Wife, 1884)

skeleton in the closet A family secret or scandal kept concealed to avoid public shame and disgrace; any confidential matter which, if revealed, could be a source of embarrassment, humiliation, or abasement. Though popularized in the writings of William Thackeray (1811-63), skeleton in the closet is reputedly based on an earlier legend that tells of a search for a truly happy person, one free from cares and woes. After such a person had apparently been found, she opened a closet and exposed a human skeleton. “I try to keep my troubles to myself,” she explained, “but every night my husband compels me to kiss that skeleton.” The skeleton, it seems, was that of a former paramour whom her husband had killed.

Some particulars regarding the Newcome family … will show us that they have a skeleton or two in their closets. (William Thackeray, The Newcomes, 1855)

A British variation is skeleton in the cupboard.

sub rosa Under the rose—in secret, privately, confidentially. Attempts have been made to trace the origin of this phrase to classical times; however, the OED states that it has Germanic origins. In Germany, and later in England and Holland, it was a common practice to paint or sculpture roses on the ceilings of banquet halls. The rose was a symbol reminding the revelers to watch their words. The phrase appeared in print by the mid-16th century. The English version under the rose is also heard.

Being all under the Rose they had privilege to speak all things with freedom. (James Howell, Parables Reflecting Upon the Times, 1643)

under one’s hat Secret, private, confidential; between you, me, and the lamppost; usually to keep something under one’s hat.

I’d be very grateful … if you’d keep the whole affair under your hat. (N. Marsh, Dead Water, 1963)

Although the exact origin of this expression is not known, perhaps at one time the space under a person’s hat was literally used to conceal things. Use of the phrase dates from the late 19th century.

walls have ears An admonition to be discreet in speech, implying that privacy is never certain and that no one is to be trusted. The expression is often linked with the so-called auriculaires of the Louvre Palace, tubes within the walls by means of which Catherine de Médicis reputedly learned of state secrets. There is no evidence, however, that the phrase actually owes its origin to these contrivances. A similar concept and personification appeared contemporaneously in Heywood’s Proverbs (1562):

Fields have eyes and woods have ears.

Thesaurus
Noun1.secrecy - the trait of keeping things secretsecretiveness, silenceuncommunicativeness - the trait of being uncommunicativemum - secrecy; "mum's the word"
2.secrecy - the condition of being concealed or hiddensecrecy - the condition of being concealed or hiddenconcealment, privateness, privacyisolation - a state of separation between persons or groupscovertness, hiddenness - the state of being covert and hiddenbosom - the chest considered as the place where secret thoughts are kept; "his bosom was bursting with the secret"confidentiality - the state of being secret; "you must respect the confidentiality of your client's communications"hiding - the state of being hidden; "he went into hiding"

secrecy

noun1. mystery, stealth, concealment, furtiveness, cloak and dagger, secretiveness, huggermugger (rare), clandestineness, covertness, surreptitiousness He shrouded his business dealings in secrecy.2. confidentiality, privacy, private nature, classified nature The secrecy of the confessional.3. confidentiality, privacy, silence, retirement, solitude, seclusion These problems had to be dealt with in the secrecy of your own cell.Quotations
"If you would wish another to keep your secret, first keep it yourself" [Seneca Hippolytus]

secrecy

nounThe habit, practice, or policy of keeping secrets:clandestineness, clandestinity, concealment, covertness, huggermugger, huggermuggery, secretiveness, secretness.
Translations
保密秘密

secret

(ˈsiːkrit) adjective hidden from, unknown to, or not told to, other people. a secret agreement; He kept his illness secret from everybody. 秘密的 秘密的 noun1. something which is, or must be kept, secret. The date of their marriage is a secret; industrial secrets. 秘密 秘密2. a hidden explanation. I wish I knew the secret of her success. 秘訣 秘诀ˈsecrecy noun the state of being or the act of keeping secret. 秘密狀態,保密 秘密,保密 ˈsecretive (-tiv) adjective inclined to conceal one's activities, thoughts etc. secretive behaviour. 遮遮掩掩的 遮遮掩掩的,偷偷摸摸的 ˈsecretively adverb 遮遮掩掩地 遮遮掩掩地ˈsecretiveness noun 遮掩 遮掩ˈsecretly adverb in such a way that others do not know, see etc. He secretly copied the numbers down in his notebook. 秘密地 秘密地secret agent a spy. 特務 特务secret police a police force whose activities are kept secret and which is concerned mostly with political crimes. 秘密警察 秘密警察in secret secretly. This must all be done in secret. 暗地裡 暗地里keep a secret not to tell (something secret) to anyone else. You can't trust her to keep a secret. 保密 保密

secrecy


cloak (someone or something) in secrecy

To hide someone or something from another person or from public view. The residents complained that the board cloaked its decision process in secrecy, not allowing anyone to see the final plan.See also: cloak, secrecy

swear (one) to secrecy

To make one promise that they won't reveal something that they know about. The company swore me to secrecy before promoting me to work on their latest product. OK, I'll tell you, but I have to swear you to secrecy!See also: secrecy, swear

cloak someone or something in secrecy

Fig. to hide or conceal someone or something in secrecy. Patrick cloaked his activities in secrecy. The agents cloaked the spy in secrecy, making her identity a mystery.See also: cloak, secrecy

swear somebody to ˈsecrecy

make somebody promise not to tell a secret: Before telling her what happened, I had sworn her to secrecy.Everyone was sworn to secrecy about what had happened.See also: secrecy, somebody, swear
EncyclopediaSeesecretMedicalSeecovertLegalSeeSecret

secrecy


  • noun

Synonyms for secrecy

noun mystery

Synonyms

  • mystery
  • stealth
  • concealment
  • furtiveness
  • cloak and dagger
  • secretiveness
  • huggermugger
  • clandestineness
  • covertness
  • surreptitiousness

noun confidentiality

Synonyms

  • confidentiality
  • privacy
  • private nature
  • classified nature

noun confidentiality

Synonyms

  • confidentiality
  • privacy
  • silence
  • retirement
  • solitude
  • seclusion

Synonyms for secrecy

noun the habit, practice, or policy of keeping secrets

Synonyms

  • clandestineness
  • clandestinity
  • concealment
  • covertness
  • huggermugger
  • huggermuggery
  • secretiveness
  • secretness

Synonyms for secrecy

noun the trait of keeping things secret

Synonyms

  • secretiveness
  • silence

Related Words

  • uncommunicativeness
  • mum

noun the condition of being concealed or hidden

Synonyms

  • concealment
  • privateness
  • privacy

Related Words

  • isolation
  • covertness
  • hiddenness
  • bosom
  • confidentiality
  • hiding
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更新时间:2024/12/24 0:06:44