mid-13c., "theft, action or practice of stealing," from a probable Old English *stælþ, which is related to stelen (see steal (v.)), from Proto-Germanic *stælitho (cognates: Old Norse stulþr), with Proto-Germanic abstract noun suffix *-itho (see -th (2)).
Compare heal/health, weal/wealth. Sense of "secret action" developed c. 1300, but the word also retained its etymological sense into 18c. Got a boost as an adjective from stealth fighter, stealth bomber, radar-evading U.S. military aircraft, activated 1983.
双语例句
1. The government was accused of trying to introduce the tax by stealth .
有人指责政府想不事声张地开征这种税。
来自《权威词典》
2. He prefers to do good by stealth.
他宁愿悄悄做好事.
来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
3. The Navy has decided to cancel its contract for the A-12 Stealth attack plane.
海军方面已决定取消购买A-12隐形攻击机的合同。
来自柯林斯例句
4. It's good that he used direct taxation rather than stealth taxes to raise the money.
还好他采用了直接征税而不是间接征税的手段来筹集资金。
来自柯林斯例句
5. He claimed Tony Blair is trying to get us into the euro by stealth.