under-the-table
adjective
transacted in secret or in an underhanded manner.
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under-the-table
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under the table
under the tableadjective(under-the-table when prenominal) done illicitly and secretly
under-the-table
American
[uhn-der-thuh-tey-buhl]
/ ˈʌn dər ðəˈteɪ bəl /
adjective
under the table
British
adjective
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(under-the-table when prenominal) done illicitly and secretly
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slang drunk
under the table
Idioms
Etymology
Origin of under-the-table
First recorded in 1945–50
Explanation
Anything that happens under-the-table is taking place secretly, like under-the-table payments that are illegal. The things on a table are easily seen, but it's not as easy to see what's happening under the table. That can help you remember that under-the-table activities are secret, covert, confidential, and sometimes illegal. If two businesses have an under-the-table agreement, no one else knows about it. If a company pays someone under-the-table, the money is not documented and therefore won't be taxed. Just about everything spies do happens under-the-table.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
North Korea’s pre-Covid economy had increasingly centered on black markets selling goods smuggled from China or under-the-table local goods—and with it the rise of a “donju” merchant class who made their wealth outside state control.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026
Others have questioned how common such under-the-table payments might be, since there are no disclosure requirements for paid content at the federal level and few jurisdictions have any rules mandating it.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 24, 2026
Pilot’s former CEO also extended the offer of under-the-table payments to at least 10 other executives in April, according to Berkshire’s filing.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 29, 2023
The revelations caused a huge scandal and inspired mammoth state probes into the scale of under-the-table lobbying in Irish politics.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 19, 2023
The lady walked gravely toward him, whereupon William again followed the under-the-table route, and finally flopped into a chair by his own desk.
From William Adolphus Turnpike by William Banks
She coped by dabbing at her face with a small navy blue towel that magically appeared from under the table.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 11, 2025
It’s a better and more transparent system than, say, local car dealers offering athletes tricked-out pickup trucks under the table.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 30, 2025
Reliable economic figures are hard to come by and a large portion of incomes are earned under the table in the informal sector.
From Barron's ● Nov. 14, 2025
And it has not gone unnoticed that this upturn has coincided with Mekies getting his feet under the table.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2025
I was kicked again under the table and, looking, saw Frances, Robert's lady, her chin lifting and her face hardening.
From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
