under-the-counter

[ uhn-der-thuh-koun-ter ]

adjective

1. (of merchandise) sold clandestinely.
2. illegal; unauthorized:

   under-the-counter payments.

Word History and Origins

Origin of under-the-counter¹

First recorded in 1945–50

Idioms and Phrases

Secretly, surreptitiously, as in I'm sure they're selling liquor to minors under the counter . This expression most often alludes to an illegal transaction, the counter being the flat-surfaced furnishing or table over which legal business is conducted. It was first recorded in 1926. Also see under the table .

Example Sentences

“Because of a few who make themselves rich from politics and under-the-counter money, all of us have to pay,” she blogged.

From The Daily Beast