i Register
In some senses, hugger-mugger is marked as archaic. Watch for register when choosing this word.
hugger-mugger
UK /ˈhʌɡ.əˌmʌɡ.ə/ US /ˈhʌɡ.ɚˌmʌɡ.ɚ/
adj 2noun 2adv 2verb 1
Collocations
4ADJ.
burned, failed, heavenly, main
VERB + HUGGER-MUGGER
having, scaffolding, stars
HUGGER-MUGGER + NOUN
doings, fireplace, people
PREP.
till, with, with
Definitions
adj
1
Secret, clandestine, sly.
2
Disorderly, chaotic, confused.
hugger-mugger doings
So Brad McLaughlin mingled reckless talk Of heavenly stars with hugger-mugger farming, Till having failed at hugger-mugger farming, He burned his house down for the fire insurance And spent the proceeds on a telescope […]
noun
1
Secrecy.
[…]; and we haue done but greenly In hugger mugger to interre him.
Many things have been done in Hugger mugger in our Age, prophane perſons conceited that their privacy protected them from divine inſpection.
2
Disorder.
As we passed through the quadrangle the church was glowing more brightly than a pearl, like a lily in strong sunlight, in spite of all the scaffolding and hugger-mugger.
Portentous events and lots of huggermugger quickly proliferate, as they always in Pynchon-land: a dead body turns up near the pool in a famous Upper West Side building; […]
adv
1
Secretly.
2
Confusedly, in a muddle.
Thesaurus
Synonyms
adjective — conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods
- clandestine
- cloak-and-dagger
- hush-hush
- secret
- surreptitious
- undercover
- underground
adjective — in utter disorder
Antonyms
Idioms & Phrases
Example Bank
601
hugger-mugger doings
Wiktionary02
So Brad McLaughlin mingled reckless talk Of heavenly stars with hugger-mugger farming, Till having failed at hugger-mugger farming, He burned his house down for the fire insurance And spent the procee
Wiktionary03
There were densely tenanted houses on the main road, pigsties hugger-mugger with people, fireplace ashes thrown out at night.
Wiktionary04
[…]; and we haue done but greenly In hugger mugger to interre him.
Wiktionary05
Many things have been done in Hugger mugger in our Age, prophane perſons conceited that their privacy protected them from divine inſpection.
Wiktionary06
As we passed through the quadrangle the church was glowing more brightly than a pearl, like a lily in strong sunlight, in spite of all the scaffolding and hugger-mugger.
WiktionaryUsage Notes
Your note
not saved0 chars