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Glite Dictionary
to hatch a scheme

to hatch a scheme

1 6.3
Plan something in secret, often to trick or surprise others
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : tramar un plan
  • Realizing their budget was tight, they hatched a scheme to raise funds through a charity event.

Examples

  • O'Wally also hatched a scheme to remove two digits from the calendar to create a millennium bug that will greatly increase technology sales.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • He still hasn't confessed his love to Renaldo, but Joey's hatched a scheme to hook them up.

    Boy Culture (2006)

  • After careful consideration, they hatched a scheme to surprise their friend for her birthday.

  • The team hatched a scheme to improve their project by pooling their resources and skills.

Synonyms

to plot
vsto hatch a scheme
120 4.8

To make a secret plan to do something illegal

is broader, applying to secret strategy not necessarily illegal or harmful
to scheme
vsto hatch a scheme
14 6.5

To make secret plans to do something dishonest

is more focused on cunning strategy and careful thought rather than only dishonesty
to hatch a plan
vsto hatch a scheme
12 3.6

To make a secret or careful plan to do something

is more cunning and aimed at tricking others
to cook up a plan
vsto hatch a scheme
  • Informal
1 4.4

To think of a clever or secret plan to do something

is more about careful secret arranging with cunning intent
to machinate
vsto hatch a scheme
  • Formal
1 9.9

To make secret plans to do something bad

is less about clear illegality and more about clever secrecy

How Secret

to conspire
130 5.8
to plot
120 4.8
to hatch a scheme
1 6.3
to devise
135 4.8
to think up
48 3.2

Surface Forms

hatch a scheme infinitive
hatched a scheme past
hatched a scheme past participle
hatching a scheme present participle
hatches a scheme third person singular

Morphology

hatch + a + scheme

The meaning 'to secretly devise a plan' is directly derivable from combining 'hatch' (to conceive or plot) with 'scheme' (an organized plan), so the overall sense is compositionally predictable. Although 'hatch' has a literal egg-related sense, its metaphorical use meaning 'devise' is common and follows normal verb+noun composition, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will likely understand the expression.

Etymology

Hatch a scheme may come from the image of an egg: to hatch is to break an egg so something hidden comes out, and a scheme is a clever plan. So when someone hatches a scheme they quietly make a plan that will appear later, meaning 'to secretly plan'.