secret

se|cret1 [ `sikrət ] noun count ***

1. ) a piece of information that is known by only a small number of people, and is deliberately not told to other people:

It cannot remain a secret much longer.

I can't tell you what she said it's a secret.

He was accused of selling business secrets to competitors.

Your secret is safe with me (=I will not tell anyone).

The secret is out (=everyone knows about it).

keep a secret (=not tell anyone): Can you promise to keep a secret?

keep something a secret (from someone): Mandela kept his work a secret from the prison authorities.

let someone in on a secret (=tell someone a secret): Listen, I'll let you in on a little secret.

2. ) usually plural something that cannot be explained or is difficult to understand:

What new secrets of the universe will the new telescope reveal?

3. ) a particular way of achieving something:

She always looks so slim I wish I knew her secret.

The secret is always to warm the pot before putting in the tea.

secret of: The secret of our success is having highly skilled workers.

in secret

without anyone else knowing:

The negotiations were conducted in secret.

it is no secret that

used for saying that something is a well-known fact:

It's no secret that the chairman and his deputy dislike each other intensely.

make no secret of something

to make no attempt to hide your feelings about something:

He's made no secret of the fact that he'd like to buy the company.

secret

se|cret 2 [ `sikrət ] adjective ***

deliberately not told to other people or kept hidden from other people:

The diary records her most secret thoughts and feelings.

Police discovered a secret bomb factory.

keep something secret: The congresswoman denied that the report was being kept secret.

secret talks: Secret talks were held in the hope of settling the dispute.

a secret location: They are now at a secret location agreed with social services.

a. not known about by many people:

We love coming here because it's like a secret garden.

b. used for describing someone who does something in secret:

a secret lover

c. INFORMAL deliberately not telling people things: SECRETIVE:

He can be the most secret man alive.