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# covertly

«covertly» in Mova's school dictionary: **In a secret or hidden way, so that others do not notice** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

### part of speech

adverb (covertly)

### meaning for a pupil

1) In a secret or hidden way, so that others do not notice. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/covertly/#m1)

2) (formal) Not openly shown or admitted: «covertly unhappy». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/covertly/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

Used in spy stories, mysteries and news about secret agents or police; in classroom stories, a child might covertly pass a note. It tells the reader that something is done secretly. Opposite: «openly», «overtly».

### examples

- She covertly passed a note to her friend under the desk. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/covertly/#x1)
- The detective covertly watched the house. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/covertly/#x2)
- Spies covertly gathered information. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/covertly/#x3)
- Tim covertly slipped the sprouts to the dog. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/covertly/#x4)
- The cameras covertly filmed the badgers at night. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/covertly/#x5)
- He covertly checked his phone during the film. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/covertly/#x6)
- The rabbit covertly nibbled the lettuce while the farmer slept. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/covertly/#x7)

### note

Adverb from «covert» (secret, hidden). Pronounced KUV-ert-lee or KOH-vert-lee. Opposite: «overtly». Do not confuse with «covet» (to want something that belongs to someone else).

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «covertly» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/covertly/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.