clandestine operation
3
7.7
- noun
- /klænˈdɛstɪn ˌɒpəˈreɪʃən/
- Formal
:
operación clandestina
- During the clandestine operation, agents worked in the shadows to avoid detection.
- conduct clandestine operations
- part of a clandestine operation
What would a clandestine operation have if unsupervised?
- What would a clandestine operation have if unsupervised?
Examples
-
The CIA is not in the habit of discussing its clandestine operations, but the agency's purpose is clear enough.
Blog text (28) -
I need you to join us in a clandestine operation.
-
Harry came across a clandestine operation there.
-
Our school banned soft drinks, so a few of us ran a clandestine operation.
Blog text (27) -
The U.S. has also taken part in clandestine operations aimed at Iran and its ally, Syria.
Blog text (23) -
But the bulk of the document is a guide for clandestine operations and cell-building, the path Jemaah Islamiyah leaders most closely follow.
Academic text (2009) -
The government launched a clandestine operation to gather intelligence on terrorist activities.
-
The film depicted a thrilling clandestine operation that revealed state secrets.
Synonyms
23
5.7
A secret action by a government or army to avoid being noticed
17
5.5
A private job done secretly to gather information
10
5.0
Secret work by police or agents who hide their identity to gather evidence
8
4.9
A secret activity by a government to gather information about an enemy or threat
3
5.8
A secret operation by soldiers or spies to gather information and carry out dangerous tasks
1
8.4
A secret action that hides who did it, often for political or military reasons
Antonyms
- Specialized
An activity by military or intelligence groups done openly, not secretly
How Secret
- Jargon
1
8.4
- Formal
3
7.7
23
5.7
10
5.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a secret planned activity' is directly and compositionally derived from 'clandestine' (hidden/secret) + 'operation' (a planned activity), following a regular adjective + noun pattern. This is a transparent, non-idiomatic combination that is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Clandestine operation may come from an old Latin word 'clam' meaning 'secretly'. Think of clandestine as 'secret' and operation as 'planned action', so the phrase means a planned action that is kept hidden.