closed door
103
4.2
- noun
- What is discussed behind closed doors often remains a mystery to outsiders.
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Watch on YouTubeThere's so many deals behind these closed doors.
- There's so many deals behind these closed doors.
- So Manhattan itself is definitely much more upscale, but behind closed doors there's still plenty of bad behaviour going on.
- And while some of the struggles played out in public, other key moments took place behind closed doors, and until now, we're buried in the archives.
- So we wanted to be as intimate as we could with his life and showing an aspect of who this person was behind closed doors.
- Going to her house, into her room behind closed doors, sending her a letter that says I love you in ways I can't even describe.
- But in a world that you could hide behind closed doors, non Internet, non media and everybody's fingertips, people went to bad behavior.
- And then as soon as you're behind closed doors, the narcissistic person is able to take off the mask and go back to the full blown rage and contempt.
- However, all that charitable do gooderness seems to fade behind closed doors when they're with their family.
- God damn do y'all know what a closed door means?
- I'm sorry, like again, I hear and see so many of the behind the closed doors action that you may not be Privy to.
Examples
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Players are also able to learn what coaches are saying about them behind closed doors.
Blog text (9) -
As they were leaving, she lingered in the quiet front room, looking down the hallway to Frank's closed door.
Fiction book (1995) -
Every key to every closed door on this planet is right here in your mind.
-
Someone was working behind closed doors at the Post Office, a few lights on.
Fiction book (1995) -
People are very afraid of talking about this issue, but behind closed doors, everybody knows what's going on.
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So obviously, there is more that goes on behind closed doors that we are not privy to.
Blog text (5) -
The possibility of national bankruptcy... will be dealt with entirely behind closed doors.
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You're not there 24/7; you don't know what goes on behind closed doors.
Blog text (24) -
Many important decisions are made behind closed doors where the public cannot see them.
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The negotiations continued behind closed doors to keep the details confidential.
Synonyms
∞
2.0
Hidden so other people do not know about it
801
1.1
A thing that is not easily seen or found
654
2.2
Not shared with others about a person's life or feelings
201
8.8
Known only to a small, trusted group
180
5.3
Not shared with others because it should be secret
173
7.0
Not willing to tell others about something
154
1.3
Not open to the public and limited to certain people
129
6.8
Done secretly to avoid being seen or known
95
3.7
Hidden so people cannot see it
68
4.8
Not told to others until a set time or event
40
5.1
A place not seen or visited by many people
26
7.5
People keep it secret from most others to avoid being noticed
24
5.3
Not open to the public and held privately by a small group
9
8.7
Hidden away from other people
8
7.2
Kept secret from the public, often about meetings or plans
7
8.5
Done secretly because people would disapprove
1
5.2
An area in a room or building separated from others by a hanging cloth to give privacy
1
7.5
People in power keep it secret to hide a problem
A secret way of doing things to hide small dishonest acts
Antonyms
How Private
Surface Forms
Morphology
The sense 'private/hidden' is directly derivable from combining 'closed' (not open) with 'door' (a gateway or point of access): a closed door signals no access or visibility. This literal compositional mapping and its metaphorical extension to secrecy is common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Closed door comes from the simple image of a shut room: when people close a door, it hides what is inside so others cannot see or hear. So, saying something happened behind a closed door means it was 'private'.