cloak-and-dagger

cloak-and-dagger
cloak-and-dagger
involving secrecy and plotting. •

A great deal of cloak-and-dagger stuff goes on in political circles.

A lot of cloak-and-dagger activity was involved in the appointment of the director.

* * *
{adj.} Of or about spies and secret agents. * /It was a cloak-and-dagger story about some spies who tried to steal atomic secrets./ * /The book was written by a retired colonel who used to take part in cloak-and-dagger plots./ (From the wearing of cloaks and daggers by people in old adventure stories.) Compare: BLOOD AND THUNDER.

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Cloak and Dagger — Studioalbum von Witchfynde Veröffentlichung 20. Juni 1983 Label Mausoleum Records …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • cloak-and-dagger — {adj.} Of or about spies and secret agents. * /It was a cloak and dagger story about some spies who tried to steal atomic secrets./ * /The book was written by a retired colonel who used to take part in cloak and dagger plots./ (From the wearing… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • cloak-and-dagger — adj [usually before noun] very secret and mysterious, and usually involving the work of spies ▪ a cloak and dagger operation …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • cloak-and-dagger — behaviour is when people behave in a very secret way, often when it is not really necessary. Is all this cloak and dagger stuff necessary? Why can t we just meet in a cafй like everyone else? (always before noun) …   New idioms dictionary

  • cloak and dagger — adjective Concerned with plot and intrigue, esp espionage • • • Main Entry: ↑cloak …   Useful english dictionary

  • cloak-and-dagger — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ involving intrigue and secrecy …   English terms dictionary

  • cloak-and-dagger — [klōk′ən dag′ər] adj. of or characteristic of the activities of spies and undercover agents, esp. as extravagantly depicted in popular suspense fiction …   English World dictionary

  • cloak-and-dagger — adjective involving mystery or secrets …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Cloak and dagger — For other uses, see Cloak and dagger (disambiguation). 16th century manual of arms illustration of the Dagger and Cloak. Cloak and dagger is a term sometimes used to refer to situations involving intrigue, secrecy, espionage, or mystery. The… …   Wikipedia

  • cloak-and-dagger — adjective 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… …   Useful english dictionary

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