on the down-low

English

Alternative forms

• on the down low, on the DL, on the low

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Prepositional phrase

on the down-low

1. (US, idiomatic, slang, euphemistic) In secret.

   I'll tell you, but keep it on the down-low.

2. (US, idiomatic, slang, euphemistic) Secretly sleeping with someone other than one's partner.
3. (African-American Vernacular, LGBT) (of a male) Publicly identifying as heterosexual but secretly having sex with other men.

Usage notes

• Also used as a predicate.

Synonyms

• see also Thesaurus:covert