What does a open secret mean?

Definition of open secret

: a supposedly secret but generally known matter.

What does the phrase open secret mean?

Britannica Dictionary definition of OPEN SECRET. [count] : something that many people know about but that is supposed to be a secret.

What makes a secret open?

An open secret is a concept or idea that is "officially" (de jure) secret or restricted in knowledge, but in practice (de facto) is widely known; or it refers to something that is widely known to be true but which none of the people most intimately concerned are willing to categorically acknowledge in public.

What does the oxymoron open secret mean?

something supposedly secret but actually known quite generally.

How do you use open secret?

something that is supposed to be secret but is generally known.

It's an open secret that the security service bugged telephones.
It's an open secret that he wants Derek's job.
Their affair is an open secret.
Their love affair is an open secret.
It is an open secret that she is having an affair with another man.

44 related questions found

What figure of speech is open secret?

Answer. An oxymoron is a figure of speech containing words that seem to contradict each other. This phrase qualifies as an oxymoron because the words "open " and "secret" have completely opposite meanings.

What is the meaning of all in all in idioms?

Overall; mostly. This phrase is typically used when one is considering all aspects of something together. Sure, it rained on our vacation, but all in all we had a great time. All in all, the team has a bright future, even though they didn't make the playoffs this year.

What are the 5 example of oxymoron?

His new girlfriend really is pretty ugly. Sorry, I can't help you out right now, I am involved in my own minor crisis. Give me the fifty dollars you owe me or pay for dinner, it's the same difference. My trip to Bali was very much a working holiday.

What is the purpose of oxymoron?

An oxymoron is a figure of speech that places contradictory terms next to each other in a word or phrase. As a literary device, it is used to make certain word combinations more thought-provoking to stand out. What are some oxymoron examples? Oxymorons are common in everyday speech.

Can a person be an oxymoron?

Yes. If someone is really, really into Oxi-Clean, and keeps recommending it in situations where it doesn't make sense, you might call that person an Oxi-Moron. Now I am thinking of a superhero called Oxymoron Man. Thanks.

What do living dead means?

living dead Add to list Share. Definitions of living dead. a dead body that has been brought back to life by a supernatural force. synonyms: zombi, zombie. type of: dead person, dead soul, deceased, deceased person, decedent, departed.

What is an example of a secret?

The definition of a secret is something kept from public knowledge or the knowledge of a specific person. An example of a secret is a hidden door leading to an unknown room. An example of a secret is a surprise birthday party. Given to keeping one's thoughts and activities unknown to others; secretive.

What is a secret in it?

A secret is a piece of sensitive information. For example, an API key, password, or any type of credential that you might use to access a confidential system. By using secrets, you're able to authenticate to protected resources as you build your applications.

What is the meaning of at a snail's pace?

Definition of at a snail's pace

: very slowly The work is progressing at a snail's pace.

What does awfully good mean?

There is a common expression "awfully good", which means "excellent".

What does Same difference mean?

Definition of same difference

—used to say that two things are not really different in any important way "They lost 100 games last year." "Actually, they only lost 96 games." "Same difference. The point is, they were awful."

What is the example of Litotes?

In truth, a litotes will use irony to emphasize an idea without minimizing its importance. For example, a friend might expect her roommate to talk about someone who's obviously wealthy by saying, “He's filthy rich.” However, when she comes out and says, “Well, he's not exactly a pauper,” it's a little unexpected.

What do you call two opposite words together?

An oxymoron is also a noun that's defined as “a figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect, as in 'cruel kindness' or 'to make haste slowly. '” So when contradictory or opposing words are combined, that expression is an oxymoron.

What is hyperbole in figure of speech?

hyperbole, a figure of speech that is an intentional exaggeration for emphasis or comic effect. Hyperbole is common in love poetry, in which it is used to convey the lover's intense admiration for his beloved.

Is Good grief an oxymoron?

An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two words with contradictory meanings are placed side-by-side. Take "good grief." Grief isn't traditionally thought of as good, so the words are a paradox.

What is an example of a synecdoche?

What are some examples of synecdoche? Here are some examples of synecdoche: the word hand in "offer your hand in marriage"; mouths in "hungry mouths to feed"; and wheels referring to a car.

Is awfully nice an oxymoron?

If you stop to think about it, two of our more common oxymorons are “terribly nice” and “awfully good.” Never use “awfully good” when praising someone's cooking, and never use “terribly nice” to describe a kiss. My old tennis buddy John Morris handed me some oxymorons to add to the list the other day.

What is the meaning of I'll keep my fingers crossed?

To hope that nothing will happen to bring bad luck or to ruin one's plans: “Helen will soon find out whether she got into law school; in the meantime, she is keeping her fingers crossed.”