‖ incognito, a., adv., n.
(ɪnˈkɒgnɪtəʊ, -ˈniːtəʊ)
Pl. -ti (-tiː).
[It. incognito adj., adv., unknown, disguised, ad. L. incognitus: see incognite.
1652 H. Cogan tr. Scudery's Ibrahim i. ii. 39 He went..in that manner, which the Grandees of Italie do often make use of, whenas they travell, and which they call Incognito.]
A. adj. Unknown; whose identity is concealed or unavowed, and therefore not taken as known; concealed under a disguised or assumed character.
| 1649 Evelyn Lib. & Servit. iv. Misc. Writ. (1805) 22 They make it..their chiefest care to make themselves hidden and incognito. 1676 G. Etherege Man of Mode iv. i, A Fool is very troublesome, when he Presumes he is Incognito. 1732 T. Lediard Sethos II. vii. 70 This prince was incognito in Arabia. 1864 Linnet's Trial I. i. iii. 72, I only came for a couple of days..and I intended to have remained incognito. |
b. Of a thing: Done or conducted under disguise.
| 1819 T. Hope Anastasius (1820) II. ii. 30 Asses for incognito expeditions. |
B. adv. With one's real name, title, or character undisclosed or disguised: used esp. in reference to royal or dignified personages who wish to conceal their identity or not to be openly recognized.
| 1649 Evelyn Mem. 12 July, Mr. Arthur Slingsby, who left England incognito. 1691 T. Rogers Disc. Trouble Mind 384 A Christian in this World is like a King that travels Incognito in a strange land. 1709 Prior Ladle 2 The Scepticks think 'twas long ago Since Gods came down Incognito. 1800 E. Hervey Mourtray Fam. II. 10 As you wished to do good incognito, I did not disclose your name. 1862 Hook Lives Abps. II. iii. 211 He had passed incognito through Canterbury. |
C. n.
1. An unknown man; one who conceals his identity; an anonymous person.
| 1638 Baker tr. Balzac's Lett. (vol. II.) 228, I send you all I have of that admirable Incognito. 1784 Cowper Let. 22 Feb., The same incognito to all except ourselves made us his almoners this year likewise. 1797 E. Du Bois Piece Fam. Biogr. II. 81 This for the incogniti. 1802 M. Edgeworth Moral T. (1816) I. xix. 163 This young incognito. |
2. The condition of being unknown, anonymity; fictitious character; disguise; orig. in phrase in incognito (taken as L. or It.), in concealment, in an anonymous character.
| [1663 Cowley Verses & Ess., Obscurity, I think..that the pleasantest condition of life is in incognito. c 1669 Lady Chaworth in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 12 The Prince of Thuscany..being in incognito.] 1822 Hazlitt Table-t. Ser. ii. ii. (1869) 35 Never venturing out of their imposing and mysterious incognito. 1874 L. Stephen Hours in Library (1892) I. i. 12 Few writers would have preserved their incognito so long. 1886 W. Alexander St. Augustine's Holiday 9 Proving that chance is God's incognito. |