под сурдинкой

• ПОД СУРДИНКУ <-ой obs> coll

[PrepP; Invar; adv]

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1. sounding at reduced volume:

- mutedly;

- (sound) muted;

- softly;

- quietly;

- low.

     ♦ [author's usage] В комнате послышалось храпенье, сначала тихое, как под сурдиной, потом громче... (Гончаров 1). Suddenly there was a sound of snoring in the room, at first gentle, as though muted, then growing louder... (1b).

2. covertly, clandestinely:

- secretly;

- in secret;

- on the quiet (q.t.);

- quietly;

- on the sly.

     ♦ Обвенчаться под сурдинку в Москве было не легко... (Герцен 2). То marry on the quiet in Moscow was not easy... (2a).

     ♦ ...Каменскую трепала прифронтовая лихорадка... В частях шли перевыборы командного состава. Под сурдинку уезжали из Каменской казаки, не желавшие войны (Шолохов 3). Kamenskaya was in a frontline fever of activity. ...New unit commanders were being elected. The Cossacks opposed to war were leaving quietly (3a).