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hidden

adj. · n.
US //ˈhɪdən// UK //hˈɪdən// hid·den
  1. 1 out of sight (adj.)
    A2 Elementary

    kept out of sight so that people cannot see or find it.

    positioned or kept out of sight; concealed from view.

    Example

    The children found a hidden door behind the old bookshelf.

    Example

    The valley remained hidden from the main road by a dense screen of ancient pine trees, preserving its quiet atmosphere.
  2. 2 difficult to understand (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    not easy to notice or understand; having a secret meaning.

    obscure or not easily perceived by the intellect; containing a deeper or non-obvious meaning.

    Example

    The movie has a hidden message about protecting the environment.

    Example

    The contract contained several hidden costs that the small business owner failed to notice during the initial negotiations.
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  1. 3 wordplay clue (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical

    a type of puzzle clue where the answer is written inside other words.

    a cryptic crossword clue where the solution is found consecutively within the letters of the clue's wordplay.

    Example

    I finally solved the hidden in the third row of the crossword.

    Example

    The setter used a clever hidden, concealing the eight-letter answer across three separate words in the middle of the sentence.
Origin

Morphologically hid + -en.

Idioms1 entry

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