backstairs gossip

  • 1Backstairs — Back stairs , Backstair Back stair , a. Private; indirect; secret; conducted with secrecy; intriguing; as if finding access by the back stairs; as, backstairs gossip. Syn: clandestine, cloak and dagger, hugger mugger, hush hush, on the… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2backstairs — adjective Date: 1663 1. secret, furtive < backstairs political deals > 2. sordid, scandalous < backstairs gossip > …

    New Collegiate Dictionary

  • 3backstairs — /bak stairz /, adj. 1. associated or originating with household servants. 2. secret, underhanded, or scandalous: backstairs gossip. Also, backstair. [1635 45; adj. use of BACK STAIRS] * * * …

    Universalium

  • 4backstairs — back•stairs [[t]ˈbækˈstɛərz[/t]] also back′stair′ adj. secret, underhanded, or scandalous: backstairs gossip[/ex] • Etymology: 1635–45 …

    From formal English to slang

  • 5backstairs — noun /bækˈstɛəz/ (say bak stairz) 1. a secondary staircase, originally for servants. –adjective /ˈbækstɛəz/ (say bakstairz) Also, backstair. 2. indirect; underhand; clandestine: backstairs gossip …

  • 6Backstair — Backstairs Back stairs , Backstair Back stair , a. Private; indirect; secret; conducted with secrecy; intriguing; as if finding access by the back stairs; as, backstairs gossip. Syn: clandestine, cloak and dagger, hugger mugger, hush hush, on the …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 7backstair — adjective secret and sly or sordid backstairs gossip his low backstairs cunning A.L.Guerard backstairs intimacies furtive behavior • Syn: ↑backstairs, ↑furtive • Similar to: ↑ …

    Useful english dictionary

  • 8back stairs — 1. stairs at the back of a house, as for use by servants. 2. a means of intrigue. [1620 30] * * * back stairs, 1. airs in the back part of a house, used especially for deliveries or by servants. 2. Figurative. a private, secret, or underhanded&#8230; …

    Useful english dictionary

  • 9back|stairs — back stairs, 1. airs in the back part of a house, used especially for deliveries or by servants. 2. Figurative. a private, secret, or underhanded method or course. back|stairs «BAK STAYRZ», adjective. 1. secret and underhanded: »... backstairs&#8230; …

    Useful english dictionary

  • 10Winesburg, Ohio (novel) — Infobox Book | name = Winesburg, Ohio title orig = translator = image caption = 1st edition cover author = Sherwood Anderson. illustrator = cover artist = country = United States language = English series = subject = genre = Novel publisher = The …

    Wikipedia