German word

Hehl

Pronunciation

IPA/heːl/

Meaning

  • masculine nounsecret

Example

Der Politiker machte aus dem Vorfall kein Hehl.

The politician made no secret of the incident.

Illustration for Hehl (secret)

More examples

Bei der Präsentation machte sie kein Hehl aus ihrer Begeisterung.

At the presentation, she made no secret of her enthusiasm.

Core concept

A covering placed over an inconvenient fact, which can be removed when the fact is made public.

Common phrases

  • kein Hehl aus etwas machen

    make no secret of ___

  • kein Hehl daraus machen

    make no secret of it

Similar words

Geheimnis: A private matter withheld from people who might otherwise learn about it.
Heimlichkeit: Quiet, secretive behavior intended to avoid public notice.
Vertuschung: The deliberate hiding of an embarrassing fact, error, or problem.
Geheimhaltung: The deliberate restriction of information to prevent its disclosure.

Definition in German

Das Verbergen oder die Verschleierung von Sachverhalten; oft in festen Wendungen verwendet.

Word origin

Hehl is a Germanic formation related to the older hiding verb helan, whose meaning is preserved in the noun's sense of concealment.

Usage tips

  • The negative phrase keinen Hehl aus etwas machen means to make something known openly, not to conceal it.

Other meanings

  • concealmentnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • verhehlenconcealverb
  • Hehlerfencenoun
  • Hehlereireceiving stolen goodsnoun

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