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on the sly

on the sly
O o

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [on, awn stressed th ee slahy]
    • /ɒn, ɔn stressed ði slaɪ/
    • /ɒn ðə slaɪ/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [on, awn stressed th ee slahy]
    • /ɒn, ɔn stressed ði slaɪ/

Definitions of on the sly words

  • adjective on the sly cunning or wily: sly as a fox. 1
  • adjective on the sly stealthy, insidious, or secret. 1
  • adjective on the sly playfully artful, mischievous, or roguish: sly humor. 1
  • idioms on the sly on the sly, secretly; furtively: a tryst on the sly. 1
  • adverb on the sly secretly 1
  • phrase on the sly To do something on the sly means to do it secretly, often because it is wrong or bad. 0

Information block about the term

Origin of on the sly

First appearance:

before 1150
One of the 7% oldest English words
1150-1200; Middle English sly, sley, from Old Norse slœgr “sly, cunning” (originally “able to strike, able to slay”); see slay

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for On the sly

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation

on the sly popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 92% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

on the sly usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for on the sly

adj on the sly

  • avantgarde — the advance group in any field, especially in the visual, literary, or musical arts, whose works are characterized chiefly by unorthodox and experimental methods.
  • hole-and-corner — secretive; clandestine; furtive: The political situation was full of hole-and-corner intrigue.

adv on the sly

  • behind someone's back — without someone's knowledge or consent
  • covertly — concealed; secret; disguised.
  • furtively — taken, done, used, etc., surreptitiously or by stealth; secret: a furtive glance.
  • in camera — a judge's private office.
  • in confidence — full trust; belief in the powers, trustworthiness, or reliability of a person or thing: We have every confidence in their ability to succeed.

adverb on the sly

  • clandestine — Something that is clandestine is hidden or kept secret, often because it is illegal.
  • wildcat — any of several North American felines of the genus Lynx. Compare lynx.

Antonyms for on the sly

adjective on the sly

  • aboveground — occurring, situated, etc. above or on the surface of the earth
  • condoned — to disregard or overlook (something illegal, objectionable, or the like): The government condoned the computer hacking among rival corporations.
  • ground — the act of grinding.

See also

Matching words

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