# hide away

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hide-away
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to go into seclusion

phrasal verb · CEFR B1

to go to a quiet or secret place so that other people cannot see you or find you.

For teachers: to go into a state of seclusion or concealment to avoid social interaction or discovery. The verb is intransitive in this sense.

- After the long work week, he just wanted to hide away in his cabin.
- The author chose to hide away in a remote village for several months to complete her manuscript without the distractions of city life.

Usage: Often used with 'in' or 'from'.

### 2. to conceal an object

phrasal verb · CEFR B2

to put something in a secret place where it is difficult to find.

For teachers: to store or stash an object in a secret or secure location. The verb is transitive and the object can be placed between 'hide' and 'away'.

- She decided to hide away the old letters in a box under her bed.
- He had hidden the emergency cash away so effectively that he struggled to remember which floorboard he had loosened.

Usage: This phrasal verb is separable; the object can follow the particle or sit between the verb and particle.

## Examples

- I like to hide away in the library and read.
- After the stressful meeting, she decided to hide away in her office for the rest of the afternoon.
- The novelist chose to hide away in a remote coastal cottage to finish her manuscript without the distractions of city life.

## Usage notes

- Teaching tip: contrast with 'hide' (the simple act of concealment); 'hide away' emphasizes the distance or the duration of being out of sight, often for comfort or safety.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.