[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/secretly.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / secretly

[← S](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/S/)

# secretly

«secretly» in Mova's school dictionary: **in a way that other people do not see or know about** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adverb

### meaning for a pupil

1) Secretly means in a way that other people do not see or know about. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/secretly/#m1)

2) Secretly can describe a feeling you keep inside and do not show, like being secretly pleased. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/secretly/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

In stories it tells the reader that a character is hiding an action or a feeling, which often builds surprise or tension: planning a surprise party, or a trickster acting secretly. In safety lessons: if an adult asks you to keep something secret from your parents, especially about touching or presents, tell a trusted adult — good surprises are fine, bad secrets are not. Phrases: «secretly hoped», «secretly planned», «secretly glad».

### examples

- We secretly made a birthday card for Mum. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/secretly/#x1)
- He was secretly happy that the match was cancelled. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/secretly/#x2)
- The squirrel secretly buried nuts in the garden. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/secretly/#x3)
- She secretly read the last page first. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/secretly/#x4)
- The children secretly planned a surprise party for their teacher. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/secretly/#x5)
- The spy secretly copied the map. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/secretly/#x6)
- I secretly hoped it would snow. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/secretly/#x7)
- If someone asks you to secretly meet them, tell a parent. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/secretly/#x8)
- The Prince followed her secretly to see what she was going to do. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/secretly/#x9)

### note

Adverb from the adjective «secret» + -ly. Spelling: secret + ly, no extra letters. A surprise is a secret that will be shared soon and makes people happy; a secret that makes you feel unsafe or uncomfortable should be told to a trusted adult.

### In the corpora

- ["Extraordinary rendition" means secretly moving a prisoner to another country for interrogation, long hard questioning (US).](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/euphemisms/25-spin-war-and-violence/21/)
- [Kai called his friend's new trainers ugly because he secretly wanted them, and his friend, sad, stopped wearing them.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/352-party-sweets-biggest-slice-best-pencils-and-pushing/13/)
- [Jake had been proud of the bruise, but secretly it was sore and he was fed up with it.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/372-jake-always-in-bruises/4/)
- [She was surprised and secretly pleased, and said she'd go if they bought popcorn for both streets.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/389-boys-who-look-at-maddie-oddly/6/)
- [Ollie tried a shortcut: he secretly downloaded the free demo of an older game on the family console.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/404-parents-rules-for-big-games/21/)

### Trees and pragmatics

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