(ŭn'dər-THə-koun'tər)
adv. & adj.
Transacted, given, or sold illicitly.
| Dictionary: un·der-the-count·er |
| 5min Related Video: under-the-counter |
| Business Dictionary: Under the Counter |
Illegal payments made for merchandise or services, usually in excess of the stated price. Under-the-counter payments are a form of bribery and extortion.
| Idioms: under the counter |
Secretly, surreptitiously, as in I'm sure they're selling liquor to minors under the counter. This expression most often alludes to an illegal transaction, the counter being the flat-surfaced furnishing or table over which legal business is conducted. It was first recorded in 1926. Also see
under the table.
| WordNet: under-the-counter |
The adjective has one meaning:
Meaning #1:
done or sold illicitly and secretly;
| Shopping: under-the-counter |
| counterirritant | |
| counterprove | |
| under the table (Idiom) |
Copyrights:
![]() | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() | Business Dictionary. Dictionary of Business Terms. Copyright © 2000 by Barron's Educational Series, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() | Idioms. The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() | WordNet. WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. Read more |
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