downlow
downlow Lexical Profile
downlow Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A state of secrecy, confidentiality, or discretion (almost always used in the phrase "on the downlow").
"She asked me to keep the news of her promotion on the downlow until the official announcement."
The true, essential, or inside information about a person or situation; the lowdown.
"Can you give me the downlow on what happened at the board meeting yesterday?"
• adjective
Kept secret, discreet, or confidential; not openly acknowledged.
"They decided to keep their weekend getaway downlow until everything was finalized."
• adverb
In a secret, discreet, or low-profile manner.
"The company has been recruiting new engineers downlow to avoid alerting competitors."
Word Nuance & Usage
Most commonly used in the prepositional phrase "on the downlow" (often abbreviated as "on the DL") to mean in secret or discreetly; it should not be confused with "lowdown," which means the true, relevant facts about a situation.
• Nearby Words
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.