Secret



GRE TOEFL 考研

解释

GRE 红宝书

• adj.秘密的
• ［类］ 反义词: bruit ( 传播消息) ; divulge ( 泄密) ; promulgate ( 公布) -keep secret ( 保守秘密)

Webster Collegiate

I. adjective

• Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French secré, secret, from Latin secretus, from past participle of secernere to separate, distinguish, from se- apart + cernere to sift — more at secede, certain
• Date: 14th century
• 1.
  • a. kept from knowledge or view ; hidden
  • b. marked by the habit of discretion ; closemouthed
  • c. working with hidden aims or methods ; undercover <a secret agent>
  • d. not acknowledged ; unavowed <a secret bride>
  • e. conducted in secret <a secret trial>
• 2. remote from human frequentation or notice ; secluded
• 3. revealed only to the initiated ; esoteric
• 4. designed to elude observation or detection <a secret panel>
• 5. containing information whose unauthorized disclosure could endanger national security — compare confidential, top secret
• ? secretly adverb
• Synonyms:
  • secret, covert, stealthy, furtive, clandestine, surreptitious, underhanded mean done without attracting observation. secret implies concealment on any grounds for any motive <met at a secret location>. covert stresses the fact of not being open or declared<covert intelligence operations>. stealthy suggests taking pains to avoid being seen or heard especially in some misdoing<the stealthy step of a burglar>. furtive implies a sly or cautious stealthiness<lovers exchanging furtive glances>. clandestine implies secrecy usually for an evil, illicit, or unauthorized purpose and often emphasizes the fear of being discovered<a clandestine meeting of conspirators>. surreptitious applies to action or behavior done secretly often with skillful avoidance of detection and in violation of custom, law, or authority<the surreptitious stockpiling of weapons>. underhanded stresses fraud or deception<an underhanded trick>.

II. noun

• Date: 14th century
• 1.
  • a. something kept hidden or unexplained ; mystery
  • b. something kept from the knowledge of others or shared only confidentially with a few
  • c. a method, formula, or process used in an art or operation and divulged only to those of one's own company or craft ; trade secret
  • d. plural ［trn］ the practices or knowledge making up the shared discipline or culture of a

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