English Dictionary

ON THE SLY

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IPA (US): 

 Dictionary entry overview: What does on the sly mean? 

ON THE SLY (adverb)
  The adverb ON THE SLY has 1 sense:

1. in a furtive mannerplay

  Familiarity information: ON THE SLY used as an adverb is very rare.


 Dictionary entry details 


ON THE SLY (adverb)


Sense 1

Meaning:

In a furtive manner

Synonyms:

furtively; on the sly

Context example:

the soldiers were furtively crawling through the night


 Context examples 


It seemed funny that I should ask his leave, as he was only a few years older than me; but I didn’t want to do anything on the sly, so I wrote to father at Bordeaux, where the company has its French offices, but the letter came back to me on the very morning of the wedding.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)



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