se ‧ crete /sɪˈkriːt/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ secrecy , ↑ secret , ↑ secretiveness ; adverb : ↑ secretly , ↑ secretively ; adjective : ↑ secret , ↑ secretive ; verb : ↑ secrete ]
[ Sense 1: Date: 1700-1800 ; Origin: secretion ]
[ Sense 2: Date: 1700-1800 ; Origin: ⇨ ↑ secret 1 ]
1 . if a part of an animal or plant secretes a liquid substance, it produces it:
The toad’s skin secretes a deadly poison.
2 . formal to hide something:
The money had been secreted in a Swiss bank account.