on the sly

on the sly
   If someone does something on the sly, they do it furtively or secretly.
  (Dorking School Dictionary)
   ***
   If you do something on the sly, you do it secretly or furtively.
   

He made such quick progress that the others suspected him of having private lessons on the sly.


English Idioms & idiomatic expressions. 2014.

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  • The Sly Trilogy — Éditeur Sony Computer Entertainment Développeur Sucker Punch Date de sortie …   Wikipédia en Français

  • By the sly — Sly Sly, a. [Compar. {Slier}or {Slyer}; superl. {Sliest} or {Slyest}.] [OE. sli, slegh, sleih, Icel. sl?gr, for sl?gr; akin to Sw. slug, Dan. slu, LG. slou, G. schlau; probably to E. slay, v.t.; cf. G. verschlagen sly. See {Slay}, v. t., and cf.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • On the sly — Sly Sly, a. [Compar. {Slier}or {Slyer}; superl. {Sliest} or {Slyest}.] [OE. sli, slegh, sleih, Icel. sl?gr, for sl?gr; akin to Sw. slug, Dan. slu, LG. slou, G. schlau; probably to E. slay, v.t.; cf. G. verschlagen sly. See {Slay}, v. t., and cf.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • on the sly — adverb in a furtive manner the soldiers were furtively crawling through the night • Syn: ↑furtively • Derived from adjective: ↑furtive (for: ↑furtively) * * * IN SECRET, secretly, furtively, surreptitiously, covertly, clandestinely, on the quiet …   Useful english dictionary

  • on the sly — {adv. phr.} So that other people won t know; secretly. * /The boys smoked on the sly./ * /Mary s mother did not approve of lipstick, but Mary used it on the sly./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • on the sly — {adv. phr.} So that other people won t know; secretly. * /The boys smoked on the sly./ * /Mary s mother did not approve of lipstick, but Mary used it on the sly./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • on\ the\ sly — adv. phr. So that other people won t know; secretly. The boys smoked on the sly. Mary s mother did not approve of lipstick, but Mary used it on the sly …   Словарь американских идиом

  • on the sly — mod. secretly and deceptively. □ She was stealing little bits of money on the sly. □ Martin was having an affair with the maid on the sly …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • on the sly — If someone does something on the sly, they do it furtively or secretly …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • on the sly — ► on the sly in a surreptitious fashion. Main Entry: ↑sly …   English terms dictionary

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