# What dies this expression mean?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dies-this-expression-mean/239691>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 12, 2004, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dies-this-expression-mean/239691 "2004-04-12T23:47:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Oat1957](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Oat1957](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oat1957)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dies-this-expression-mean/239691/1 "2004-04-12T23:47:14Z")

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It’s on the QT.

A friend is looking for a job and someone told her they had a lead bit “it’s on the QT”.

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**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dies-this-expression-mean/239691/2 "2004-04-12T23:49:42Z")

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It means its secret…keep quiet about it.

As for the etymology…I have no idea.

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**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dies-this-expression-mean/239691/3 "2004-04-12T23:52:46Z")

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[From the first and last letters in the word _quiet_.](http://www.word-detective.com/070698.html#qt)

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**Author:** ![Oat1957](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Oat1957](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oat1957)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2004, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dies-this-expression-mean/239691/4 "2004-04-13T00:28:30Z")

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Thanks.