hiding
B1Informal to neutral
Definition
Meaning
The act of concealing oneself or something; being in a place where one cannot be seen or found.
1. A state of being kept secret or out of sight (e.g., 'go into hiding'). 2. (Informal) A severe beating or thrashing (e.g., 'give someone a hiding').
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The primary meaning relates to concealment. The informal 'beating' meaning is less common but well-established, deriving from the idea of 'hiding' someone's skin (i.e., whipping it).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both meanings are understood in both varieties. The informal 'beating' sense is slightly more frequent in British English.
Connotations
In both, 'go into hiding' has connotations of danger, secrecy, or escape. The 'beating' sense is informal/colloquial.
Frequency
The concealment meaning is high-frequency in both. The 'beating' meaning is low-frequency.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
be in hiding (from + NP)go into hidingcome out of hidinggive NP a hidingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “on a hiding to nothing (BrE, informal: in a no-win situation)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly metaphorical: 'The company went into hiding from the press after the scandal.'
Academic
Used in historical/political contexts: 'The dissident spent years in hiding.'
Everyday
Common: 'The cat is in hiding under the bed.' 'The kids are playing hide and seek.'
Technical
Not typical, except in computing (e.g., 'file hiding') as a gerund from 'hide'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She is hiding the biscuits from the children.
- The data was hiding in plain sight.
American English
- He's hiding his feelings.
- The sun hid behind the clouds.
adverb
British English
- Not used as an adverb.
American English
- Not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- The hiding child was found behind the sofa.
- No standard adjectival use.
American English
- No standard adjectival use. Use 'hidden' instead.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The dog is hiding under the table.
- We played a hiding game.
- The thief went into hiding after the robbery.
- She found a good hiding place for her diary.
- The political activist remained in hiding for several months.
- His harsh criticism gave the government a real hiding in the press.
- The celebrity's retreat into hiding only fueled more media speculation.
- The team took a hiding in the championship match, losing by thirty points.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a HIDE (animal skin) being used for both meanings: you can HIDE behind a hide, or get a tanning/hiding (beating) from one.
Conceptual Metaphor
DANGER IS BEING VISIBLE / SAFETY IS BEING HIDDEN ('in hiding from the authorities'). KNOWLEDGE IS LIGHT / IGNORANCE IS DARKNESS ('keeping someone in the dark').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of 'give a hiding' as 'дать прятки' (incorrect). It means 'сильно избить, отдубасить'. 'Прятанье' is the act, but 'in hiding' is better translated as 'в укрытии' or 'в бегах'.
Common Mistakes
- *'He is in hiding from' (correct) vs. *'He is in hiding of' (incorrect). Confusing 'hiding' (noun) with 'hidden' (adjective).
Practice
Quiz
What does the idiom 'on a hiding to nothing' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it can be used for objects, animals, information, or feelings (e.g., 'hiding the truth', 'the cat is in hiding').
'Hiding' is a noun (the activity/state) or the -ing form of the verb 'to hide'. 'Hidden' is an adjective (e.g., 'a hidden door').
Yes, it's an informal idiom meaning to beat or defeat someone soundly, either physically or in a competition. It can be used metaphorically.
Yes, in the 'beating' sense (e.g., 'He got a terrible hiding'). In the concealment sense, it's usually uncountable (e.g., 'in hiding'), but can be countable in phrases like 'a long hiding'.