noun
das Hehl, null
secret
Ein stiller, geheimer Schutzort oder eine verborgene Ecke, in der man sich sicher fühlt.
Definition & meaning
The word "Hehl" is an archaic or literary term used almost exclusively in the idiom "ein Hehl aus etwas machen" (to make a secret of something). It refers to a secret, a hidden fact, or the act of concealing something.
- Secret or concealment: It describes the act of keeping information hidden or withheld.
- Legal context (related term): While "Hehl" refers to secrecy, it is etymologically related to the term "Hehlerei" (fencing stolen goods). In this specific legal sense, it implies the act of concealing or receiving stolen property.
Grammar & Word origin
- Grammar: It is a masculine noun (der Hehl). It is used primarily in the dative case within the set phrase mentioned above.
- Origin: The word stems from the Middle High German "hël" (secret, hidden) and is related to the verb "hehlen" (to conceal or hide). It shares the same Germanic root as the English verb "to hell" (in its archaic sense of hiding or covering) and is related to the word "Hölle" (hell), which originally meant a hidden or covered place.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
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Examples
Sie macht keinen Hehl aus ihrer Enttäuschung.noun
She makes no secret of her disappointment.
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