Hole-and-corner (Adjective)
Meaning 1
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 mobilization of troops"; "an undercover investigation"; "underground resistance".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The politicians' hole-and-corner meetings raised suspicions among their constituents.
- She had been leading a hole-and-corner life for months, evading detection by the authorities.
- His hole-and-corner methods eventually caught up with him and led to his downfall.
- Their company's hole-and-corner deals ultimately resulted in financial losses for the investors.
- She couldn't resist uncovering the hole-and-corner maneuvers that led to the organization's troubles.
Synonyms
Meaning 2
Relating to the peripheral and unimportant aspects of life; "a hole-and-corner life in some obscure community"- H.G.Wells.
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- She lived a hole-and-corner existence on the outskirts of town, rarely interacting with the wider community.
- The small village was a hole-and-corner place, forgotten by the rest of the world and content to remain so.
- After the scandal, he retreated to a hole-and-corner life in a remote rural area, seeking anonymity.
- The artist's work was relegated to the hole-and-corner galleries of the city, never quite gaining mainstream recognition.
- The family's hole-and-corner business had been operating in the shadows for years, avoiding attention from the authorities.