cloak-and-dagger

Etymology

 * first attested 1840. The French term referred to a genre of drama in which the main characters wore cloaks and had swords. used the “cloak and sword” term in 1840, whereas  preferred “cloak and dagger” a year later.

Adjective

 * 1) Marked by menacing furtive secrecy, often with a melodramatic tint or espionage involved.

Translations

 * Finnish:
 * French:
 * German: Mantel-und-Degen
 * Japanese: 外套と短剣
 * Polish:
 * Spanish: de intriga y misterio, de capa y espada