under-the-table

[ uhn-der-thuh-tey-buhl ]

adjective

1. transacted in secret or in an underhanded manner.

under the table

adjective

1. under-the-table when prenominal done illicitly and secretly
2. slang.
   drunk

Word History and Origins

Origin of under-the-table¹

First recorded in 1945–50

Idioms and Phrases

In secret, as in They paid her under the table so as to avoid taxes . This term alludes to money being passed under a table in some shady transaction, such as a bribe. [Mid-1900s] Also see under the counter .

Example Sentences

Refugees are barred from working, so many find under-the-table jobs that offer little pay and poor conditions.

From The Daily Beast

The existing industry is built on crime and under-the-table economics.

From The Daily Beast

They were not more than four or five inches thick, but that is the ideal height for an under-the-table cushion.

From Project Gutenberg

"A regular hero," Williams testified suddenly, in his concealed, from-under-the-table tone.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• banned
• criminal
• illegitimate
• illicit
• irregular
• outlawed
• prohibited
• smuggled
• unauthorized
• unconstitutional
• unlawful
• unlicensed
• unwarranted
• wrongful