The whole trip felt very cloak and dagger.
cloak and dagger
idiomA situation or activity marked by secrecy, mystery, intrigue, or espionage. Often used as an adjective (a cloak-and-dagger mission) to describe clandestine operations or overly secretive meetings.
Origin
The phrase comes from the historical practice of carrying a concealed weapon, such as a dagger, hidden beneath a cloak. It is also a direct translation of the French de cape et d'épée and the Spanish de capa y espada ("cloak and sword"), which originally referred to a popular genre of swashbuckler dramas and romances during the Spanish Golden Age.
They arranged the surprise party in such a cloak-and-dagger way that no one suspected a thing.
The merger talks were conducted with such cloak-and-dagger secrecy that even senior managers were kept in the dark until the deal was signed.
Last updated July 13, 2026