under-the-table
under-the-table — idiom
1. in a way that is kept hidden from officials or the law, especially when money is
in a way that is kept hidden from officials or the law, especially when money is involved — for example, paying an employee cash so that the payment is not taxed or recorded.
The cafe paid Karim under the table to avoid reporting his wages for tax.
pay + under the table to avoid tax reporting
Sana's landlord asked her to pay rent under the table in cash with no written agreement.
pay rent + under the table + in cash
Several construction workers were hired under the table and got no health insurance.
The politician admitted receiving campaign donations under the table from foreign companies.
Nkechi refused to be paid under the table because she wanted her income to be legal.
- covertly
more formal and broader in scope
- on the sly
similar register but less specific to payments
- illicitly
strongly implies the action breaks the law
- above board
opposite — open, honest, and legal
- legally
focus on compliance with the law
文法句型
pay + under the table
work + under the table
receive + under the table
用法筆記
Common in contexts involving tax evasion, bribery, or other financial misconduct. The phrase usually appears after a verb of giving or receiving payment.
常見錯誤
under-the-table — adjective
1. kept hidden from tax officials, regulators, or the law because the activity or a
kept hidden from tax officials, regulators, or the law because the activity or arrangement is not legal — describing payments, deals, or transactions that are done secretly.
The company's accountant discovered several under-the-table payments to a supplier in the financial records.
under-the-table payments + financial records
William was offered under-the-table wages but turned the job down for legal work.
Government investigators found evidence of an under-the-table deal between the developer and the city planner.
The shop owner kept a separate notebook to track his under-the-table transactions with unregistered suppliers.
Henrik later learned that his boss had made under-the-table payments to avoid paying company taxes.
- covert
more formal; can be used in military, intelligence contexts
- illicit
emphasises that the action is against the law
- clandestine
strongly suggests secrecy as the main feature
- above-board
opposite — open, honest and legal
- legal
allowed by the law
文法句型
under-the-table + noun
用法筆記
Always used before a noun — you cannot say 'the payments were under-the-table'. Use the separate idiom 'under the table' (without hyphens) after a verb instead.